This section is from the book "Cancer And Other Tumours Of The Stomach", by Samuel Fenwick. Also available from Amazon: Cancer and other tumours of the stomach.
The protean features of carcinoma of the stomach afford a great temptation to differentiate a large number of clinical varieties, according to the predominance of some particular group of symptoms or physical signs; and however much one may deprecate the growing tendency to found clinical distinctions on slight differences of symptomatology, it is impossible to offer an adequate description of the disease without special allusion to certain cases that are attended by exceptional difficulties of diagnosis. Thus, the general aspect of the complaint varies to such a great extent according to the location of the neoplasm, that it is necessary to consider in detail the various symptoms that arise from obstruction of one or other orifice, from invasion of the walls or curvatures, and from a general infiltration of the stomach. Again, it frequently happens that the cardinal symptoms of the malady are either suppressed or completely masked by those which ensue from the early invasion of another viscus, and it is therefore convenient to distinguish a latent form of the affection from those which are characterised by dyspepsia, extreme anaemia, ascites, or symptoms of septicaemia. Finally, the precocious development of gastric carcinoma deserves attention on account of its rarity, and also the form which is engrafted upon a simple ulcer.
 
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