9063
UNEXPLAINED WEIGHT LOSS
Whenever a person over 50 loses more that 10 pounds without trying to do so, his doctor will find a cause in more than 80 percent. 60 percent will not be malignant, but 25 percent will be malignant, and 11 percent will be psychological. One out of three will be caused by something wrong in the gastrointestinal tract. Fifty percent of the cancers will be in the gastrointestinal tact in the stomach, intestines, colon, liver and pancreas.
Every older person who loses weight without trying to do so, needs an X ray check of his stomach and colon to look for cancers there, and a sonogram of the abdomen to look for cancer of the pancreas, liver or ovaries. If the doctor still cannot find a cause, he must look for diseases the prevent the absorption of food from the intestinal tract.
Unintentional weight loss: diagnosis and prognosis. The first prospective follow-up study from a secondary referral centre. PG Lankisch, M Gerzmann, JF Gerzmann, D Lehnick. Journal of Internal Medicine, 2001, Vol 249, Iss 1, pp 41-46. Address: Lankisch PG, Staedt Klinikum Lueneburg, Med Klin, Boegelstr 1, D-21339 Lueneburg, GERMANY
Checked 8/9/05