G U T   C A N C E R

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4. How many times does gut cancer occur in the Netherlands ?

Gut cancer is the 3rd of the most common types of cancer for men in the Netherlands .
For women gut cancer is 2nd.

About 9600 people a year have gut cancer in the Netherlands , and about 4400 people died from gut cancer. The percentage of the people who are still alive after 5 years is 90% if the doctors found out early that you have gut cancer.

When the cancer has already spread out, or when it is found very deep in the lymph nodes, the percentage of people who are still alive after 5 years is 60%.

If the cancer has spread out into other organs, the percentage of the people who are still alive after 5 years is less then 5%.
This percentage might be higher if it is possible to remove the disseminations.

Symptoms

Symptoms from gut cancer might be:

• Excrement which looks different then it normally does
• Constant tiredness
• Clear or dark-red blood in your excrement
• A change in your pattern of defecation
• Discomfort in the stomach, like a blown feeling, cramps etc.
• Diarrhoea, obstipation, or the feeling as if the gut isn't empty
• Unsolved loss of weight

It doesn't mean that it is for 100% sure that you suffer from gut cancer when you have one or more of these symptoms. You can talk with your family doctor if you have your doubts about it.