A Case of Life-Threatening Nausea and Vomiting

Nausea and vomiting are symptoms frequently occurring in the presence of cancer. However, a patient with known cancer may also have a benign cause for nausea and vomiting. This case report of a patient with early gastric carcinoma demonstrates this point, and is a caution against attributing worsening symptoms to worsening cancer. The patient had severe postoperative gastroesophageal reflux and gastroparesis following proximal partial gastrectomy. Ultimately, the nausea and vomiting were totally relieved by completion gastrectomy.