A doctor has warned that excessive burping could be a red flag for bowel cancer, after a nurse was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer following the symptom.
Dr Kunal Sood, a US-based doctor with over two million followers on TikTok, shared the story of Bailey McBreen, a 25-year-old nurse from Florida. She first noticed unusual burping in 2021, burping five to ten times a day, which was not normal for her.
Initially dismissing the symptom, Bailey developed more concerning signs in February 2022, including acid reflux, excruciating pain, loss of appetite, and inability to pass stool. As a nurse, she suspected an intestinal obstruction, and a CT scan confirmed a tumour blocking her large intestine, later diagnosed as stage 3 bowel cancer.
Speaking about her experience, Bailey said: “Excessive burping isn’t your textbook sign of colon cancer, but my oncologist told me that it was likely the start of my symptoms.” She added that her tumour was causing a complete bowel obstruction, leading to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
While excessive burping does not necessarily indicate cancer, Dr Sood described the case as a lesson to investigate underlying causes. Bowel cancer is one of the most common cancers in the UK, with typical symptoms including changes in bowel habits, blood in stool, abdominal pain, bloating, and unexplained weight loss.
