Stomach cancer is a type of cancer that develops in the lining of the stomach. Also, known as Gastric cancer, it affects the elderly more than the adult. According to the American Cancer Society, about 6 of every 10 people diagnosed with stomach cancer each year are 65 or older. Also, the lifetime risk of developing stomach cancer is higher in men (about 1 in 101) than in women (about 1 in 155).

A health expert, speaking to a leading media house, emphasized five common symptoms of stomach cancer that should not be ignored:

1. Unexplained weight loss: Losing weight without trying or experiencing an unexplained drop in appetite, which may signal cancer progression.

2. Pain in the upper part of the abdomen: Persistent or occasional pain in the stomach area, often after eating, can become more severe as the condition progresses.

3. Frequent vomiting after meals: Nausea, sometimes accompanied by vomiting, may occur especially after meals and is linked to cancer blocking or irritating the stomach.

4. Vomiting blood, which may appear coffee-colored: This can indicate bleeding in the stomach, often caused by ulcers or tumors, and requires immediate medical attention.

5. Black, tarry stools: This occurs when blood from the stomach is digested and passed through the intestines, signaling potential internal bleeding

There are also other concerning signs that should not be overlooked such as jaundice, unexplained weight loss, early onset of diabetes, dark stools, and loss of appetite. Health experts strongly advise seeking immediate medical attention if you notice any of these symptoms. If you or a loved one experience these signs, it's crucial to visit a physician for a thorough evaluation to rule out serious underlying health conditions.

How Does Stomach Cancer Spread?

Oncologist Dr Pankaj Kumar Pande, Director–Surgical Oncology, Max Super Specialty Hospital, Shalimar Bagh, Delhi explained that this form of cancer spreads through three main pathways: Direct spread, lymphatic spread, and bloodstream.

1. Direct Spread: In its early stages, stomach cancer can invade nearby tissues and grow into the deeper layers of the stomach or spread to surrounding organs such as the oesophagus, liver, pancreas, or intestines.

2. Lymphatic Spread: Cancer cells can travel through the lymphatic system. The most common areas affected are the regional lymph nodes near the stomach, particularly those around the liver and diaphragm.

3. Bloodstream: "Cancer cells can enter the bloodstream and travel to distant parts of the body," which is a common route for stomach cancer to metastasize to distant organs.

He further explained that cancerous cells spread from the original tumour to other parts of the body through a process called Metastasis. The most common sites for the spread are the liver, lymph nodes, peritoneum, lungs, bones, and ovaries.

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has surpassed 9,000 confirmed cases and 4,300 deaths, making it the deadliest outbreak in the country's history. Meanwhile, Kenya has reported no new infections after testing 293 samples following its first confirmed case linked to the outbreak.

According to data released by Congo's public health institute on October 13, the country has recorded 9,066 confirmed Ebola cases and 4,381 deaths.

Health authorities continue to struggle to contain transmission across multiple hotspots in the country. The outbreak, declared in May 2026, is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, which has no approved vaccine or specific treatment yet. The epidemic has surpassed Congo's previous worst outbreak, which occurred between 2018 and 2020.

The outbreak is now the second-largest Ebola epidemic globally, after the 2014-2016 West African outbreak, which infected more than 28,600 people and killed over 11,000 across Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Kenya Reports No New Cases

Kenya confirmed its first imported case of Ebola on October 6, after a Kenyan national who had travelled from Congo through Uganda died in Nairobi on October 5.

According to Health Minister Aden Duale, the patient fell ill about a month ago and was treated at several hospitals in the DRC before traveling to Nairobi. The patient died days after arriving in the Kenyan capital, according to Reuters.

Kenyan health authorities have placed the country on high alert and are monitoring for possible additional cases. At least 28 contacts, including family members and healthcare workers who cared for the patient, have been identified.

The country's Ministry of Health said on October 11 that 293 samples had been tested since the patient's death and no new infections were detected. The tests covered 289 alerts and only the initial confirmed case tested positive.

Authorities have continued contact tracing and monitoring people who may have been exposed to the virus. Kenya is also strengthening surveillance and public health measures to prevent further transmission.

Also read: Congo Ebola Cases Top 8,000; Deaths Near 4,000 As Treatment Delays Remain A Concern

A Challenging Outbreak

The spread of Ebola has been difficult to contain amid Congo's fragile healthcare infrastructure, insecurity, population movement and challenges in implementing response measures. Health officials are also concerned about transmission in communities outside treatment centres.

The outbreak has affected multiple provinces in eastern Congo, raising concerns about further international spread. Uganda previously reported cases linked to the epidemic but was declared Ebola-free in August.

Although Kenya's latest testing results offer some reassurance, authorities continue to monitor high-risk contacts.

What Is Bundibugyo Virus Disease?

READ: Can Obeldesivir Prevent Ebola Symptoms After Exposure? Drug Trial Moves Forward As Death Toll Crosses 4,000

Bundibugyo virus disease is a rare and deadly illness that has caused outbreaks in several African countries in the past.

It is distinctly different from other known ebolaviruses like the Zaire ebolavirus or Sudan ebolavirus. The 2007 outbreak, where Bundibugyo was detected for the first time, resulted in over 100 cases and was officially declared over in early 2008.

According to the US CDC, the Bundibugyo strain is spread by contact with the blood or body fluids of a person who is infected with or has died from BVD.

It is also spread by contact with contaminated objects (such as clothing, bedding, needles, and medical equipment), or by contact with animals, such as bats and nonhuman primates, that are infected with BVD.

Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle pain, weakness, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain, and unexplained bleeding or bruising (a late stage of illness).

Two adults in central North Carolina have died after contracting West Nile virus, prompting health authorities to urge residents to take precautions against mosquito bites as cases continue to rise across the United States.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services confirmed the deaths on October 9, warning that senior citizens and people with underlying health conditions face a higher risk of developing severe illness from the virus.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported 11 human cases of West Nile virus in North Carolina this year. The state’s first human case of 2026 was identified in a Gaston County resident in August.

Dr Cameron Wolfe, an infectious disease expert with Duke Health, told WRAL that people infected with the virus may not realise they have it. “If you get West Nile, you probably won't know it,” he said.

Symptoms Of West Nile Virus

Also read: Google Released 3 Million Mosquitoes In Australia, Cutting Pests By 95%: Why US Is Considering It Too

West Nile virus circulates in the environment between mosquitoes, and the species is called Culex. It also circulates via birds. People become infected when the mosquitoes feed on infected birds and then bite people.

The CDC says that people are dead-end hosts, because unlike birds, they do not develop high enough levels of virus in their bloodstream and cannot pass the virus on to other biting mosquitoes.

The virus is rarely transmitted from person-to-person by blood transfusion, organ transplantation, and mother to baby, during pregnancy, delivery, or breastfeeding.

Because the virus can be transmitted through blood and organ transplantation, persons who were recently diagnosed with West Nile virus infection should not donate blood or bone marrow for 120 days following infection.

Symptoms can include fever, headache, body aches, joint pain, vomiting, diarrhoea and rash. In rare cases, the infection can become severe and affect the brain and nervous system, leading to encephalitis or meningitis.

Encephalitis is the inflammation of the brain can cause confusion, altered consciousness, seizures and, in severe cases, coma.

Meningitis is the inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord can cause severe headaches, fever and neck stiffness.

Acute flaccid paralysis, also one of the complications, occurs when the virus can damage nerve cells controlling muscles, causing sudden weakness or paralysis. In severe cases, respiratory muscles can be affected, leading to breathing failure.

Older adults and people with conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer or weakened immunity are at greater risk of developing severe disease.

There is currently no vaccine to prevent West Nile virus infection in humans, and no antiviral treatment is available. Care for severe cases focuses on managing symptoms and complications.

How To Prevent?

Health officials continue to emphasize simple prevention measures as the best defense against WNV. These are:

• Using EPA-approved insect repellents
• Wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants outside
• Adding screens on windows and doors to prevent mosquitoes from entering
• Eliminating standing water within homes, such as flowerpots, gutters, and bird baths

By doing these, residents will be able to drastically lower their chances of infection, particularly when it comes to the active mosquito season.

Women with autoimmune diseases are more likely than men to get told that their symptoms were merely psychological, resulting in longer delays and timely treatment.

A new international study published in The Lancet’s eClinicalMedicine studied the diagnostic experiences of 6,607 people living with autoimmune diseases.

Researchers from the University of Cambridge and the University of East Anglia found that 43% of women reported that their symptoms had previously been attributed to psychiatric causes, compared to 33% of men.

Women were also more likely to report being told their physical symptoms were psychosomatic, meaning they were caused by psychological factors. This was reported by 34% of women, compared to 22% of men.

After accounting for factors like age, disease group, continent and household finances, women were nearly 50% more likely to report a psychiatric misdiagnosis and almost 75% more likely to report a psychosomatic misdiagnosis than men.

The findings highlight gender disparities patients with autoimmune conditions experience during the diagnostic process, especially when the condition is not immediately ascertainable through clinical tests.

Women Report Longer Delays In Diagnosis

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The study also found differences in how long patients waited between the onset of symptoms and receiving an autoimmune disease diagnosis.

Among women, the most frequently reported time to diagnosis was one to two years. For men, the most common interval was less than three months. Women also reported attending more healthcare consultations before receiving a diagnosis.

“Patients with autoimmune diseases can present with symptoms that can initially be difficult to explain medically, and sometimes it can take months or years before a diagnosis becomes clear,” said Dr Melanie Sloan, from the University of Cambridge and the University of East Anglia.

“Our findings highlight that psychological or mental health explanations can be given too soon. This is true for both sexes, but our study suggests that females may be particularly vulnerable to these types of misdiagnoses,” she added.

Autoimmune diseases develop when the immune system mistakenly attacks the body's own tissues. For example, conditions like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. Statistically, women are more likely to develop autoimmune diseases than men.

Diagnosis can be challenging because early symptoms may include fatigue, persistent pain, sleep disturbances and low mood. These symptoms are common in other conditions, may fluctuate over time and can affect multiple parts of the body.

Patient Accounts As Important As Medical Records

The researchers said that patient accounts are important because medical records may not capture the full diagnostic journey, including when symptoms first appeared or how patients experienced consultations.

Shaista Tayabali, a patient partner and co-author of the study, said, “The differences between the sexes in misdiagnoses for people with autoimmune diseases is stark. The fact that females reported higher rates of psychiatric and psychosomatic misdiagnoses than males, yet reported lower misdiagnoses for other physical diseases, suggests that historical gender biases remain a challenging aspect of the diagnostic journey.”

The researchers stressed that the findings do not mean psychological diagnoses are always incorrect. People can have both autoimmune and mental health conditions, and some autoimmune diseases, including lupus, can themselves affect the brain.

The team called for clinicians to remain alert to possible autoimmune conditions, acknowledge diagnostic uncertainty and reassess patients when symptoms persist.