ON THIS PAGE: You will find out more about changes and other things that can signal a problem that may need medical care. Use the menu to see other pages.
Symptoms are changes that you can feel in your body. Signs are changes in something measured, like by taking your blood pressure or doing a lab test. Together, symptoms and signs can help describe a medical problem. Sometimes, people with appendix cancer do not have any of the symptoms and signs described below. Or, the cause of a symptom or sign may be a medical condition that is not cancer. People with appendix cancer may experience the following symptoms or signs:
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Appendicitis, which is inflammation of the appendix
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Ascites, which is fluid in the abdomen
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Bloating
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Pain in the abdomen or pelvis area
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Increased girth (size of the waistline), with or without a protrusion of the navel (bellybutton)
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Changes in bowel function
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Infertility, which is the medical inability to have a child
If you are concerned about any changes you experience, please talk with your doctor. Your doctor will ask how long and how often you’ve been experiencing the symptom(s), in addition to other questions. This is to help figure out the cause of the problem, called a diagnosis.
If cancer is diagnosed, relieving symptoms remains an important part of cancer care and treatment. It is often started soon after diagnosis and continued throughout treatment. Managing symptoms may also be called "palliative care" or "supportive care." Be sure to talk with your health care team about the symptoms you experience, including any new symptoms or a change in symptoms.
The next section in this guide is Diagnosis. It explains what tests may be needed to learn more about the cause of the symptoms. Use the menu to choose a different section to read in this guide.