Please help me. I am very worried now. I’ve been getting a stabbing pain between my shoulder blades (breast level, a little to the right side) in my upper back after almost every time I eat. I also have some throat pain which (could also be due to my allergic rhinitis). This has been going on for about a week. I am very worried that it could be a peptic ulcer or even esophageal cancer. The thing is that i am a 19 year-old female. Should I even be concerned about cancer?
Any advice will be deeply appreciated. Thank you.
Panda said on September 11th, 2009 , 2:59 am
Yes and no.
First . . if this has only being going on for a week . .it is probably something other than cancer. Cancer is usually not painful in the early stages.
Second . . cancer can be age specific . . and as a 19 year old you would be considered a pediatric cancer patient more likely to get a childhood type cancer. Cancer is different in young people than it is in older adults . . young people tend to get certain types of cancer associated with bone, tendons, muscles, blood vessels, fat, joints, and soft tissue in the body. Older adults get the types of cancer associated with a specific organ . .such as colon, pancreas, lung cancers. Although there are always exceptions to consider . . which is why you always need a clinical examination in these cases.
Esophageal cancer does not ordinarily appear in your age group. But you should go see a doctor anyway . .not only to make sure that this isn’t a malignancy but in order to give you a diagnosis for whatever this is.
Good luck.
ASCO: Cancer in Teenagers – overview of the types of cancer typical for this age group (treated by Pediatric oncologist)
http://www.ascocancerfoundation.org/patient/Coping/Age-Specific+Information/Cancer+in+Teenagers
ASCO: Cancer in Young Adults – overview of the types of cancer typical to this age group (treated by Pediatric oncologist or Adolescent and Young Adult oncologist)
http://www.ascocancerfoundation.org/patient/Coping/Age-Specific+Information/Cancer+in+Young+Adults