Tummy pain and bloating
Almost everybody gets tummy pain or bloating sometimes. It often gets better quickly and isn’t usually anything serious. But sometimes it can be a sign of an underlying problem, including blood cancer. Find out when to contact your GP.
Summary
- Tummy pain and bloating are extremely common. They’re often nothing to worry about.
- Sometimes they can be a symptom of leukaemia or other types of blood cancer. But most people with tummy pain or bloating do not have cancer.
- If you have tummy pain, a change in pooing habits or bloating lasting 4 weeks or more, make an appointment with your GP.
About tummy pain and bloating
Tummy pain and bloating are extremely common. Almost everybody gets them sometimes. In fact, about 1 in 10 people who visit their GP have a tummy symptom of some kind. They’re the most common reason for a person to be referred to a specialist.
Tummy pain and bloating can be caused by many different things. A lot of the time, they’re nothing to worry about and they get better quickly. But sometimes, tummy pain or bloating can be a symptom of leukaemia and other types of blood cancer.
Tummy issues that might be a symptom of leukaemia or blood cancer include:
Dull or aching pain or discomfort in the top left or top right of your tummy
Bloating
Low appetite
Feeling full soon after eating
Children might complain of a tummy ache. Or you might notice they’ve lost their appetite or are leaving food they’d usually eat. Their tummy might look swollen.
Like all symptoms of leukaemia, having tummy pain or bloating does not mean you definitely have leukaemia. But if you’re worried about your symptoms, it’s a good idea to see your GP.
Fewer than 1 in 10 people who visit their GP with tummy pain or bloating have cancer. More than 9 in 10 do not have cancer.
Why do people with blood cancer get tummy pain or bloating?
If you have leukaemia or some other types of blood cancer, abnormal white blood cells build up in your blood. But they sometimes build up in other parts of your body too. This can include your spleen and liver. It can make them swell.
More about your spleen and liver
- Your spleen is a fist-sized organ that sits under your ribs on the left side. It filters and stores blood and makes some blood cells. It’s part of your immune system.
- Your liver is a large organ that sits under your ribs on the right side. It helps fight infection and disease, balances your hormones, cleans your blood and processes food.
Having a swollen spleen or liver can make you feel bloated. It can also be painful due to:
- Pressure on your tummy wall, gut or other organs in your tummy
- Stretching of the outer coverings of your spleen or liver
- Pressure on nerves
If your spleen is swollen, you might feel pain in the upper left area of your tummy, just underneath your rib cage. A swollen spleen can also press on your stomach. This might make you feel full quickly when you eat.
If your liver is swollen, you might get pain in the upper right area of your tummy.
A swollen spleen or liver is the most common sign of leukaemia in children. More than 6 in 10 children with leukaemia have a swollen spleen or liver at diagnosis. Fewer than 4 in 10 do not. You might be able to see that the tummy is swollen. Or a doctor may be able to feel a swollen spleen or liver during an examination.
What else can cause tummy pain or bloating?
Tummy pain and bloating can be caused by lots of things. Most people who have them do not have leukaemia.
Some other causes of tummy pain or bloating include:
- Tummy bugs (gastroenteritis)
- Changes in diet
- Food intolerances
- Pregnancy
- Periods
- Constipation
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Ovarian cysts or endometriosis
- Pelvic inflammatory disease
- Gallstones
- Kidney or urine infections
- Kidney stones
- Stomach ulcers
- Appendicitis
- Diverticular disease
- Pancreatitis
- Other types of cancer
When to seek help
- If you have tummy pain that’s severe or came on suddenly, call 999 or go to A&E straight away.
- If you're not sure if your symptoms are serious, visit NHS 111 online or call 111 for advice.
If you have vague tummy pain, a change in pooing habits or bloating lasting 4 weeks or more, make an appointment with your GP. Contact them sooner if you also have other symptoms.
Nearly 4 in 10 people with leukaemia wait 3 months or more before contacting a GP about their symptoms.
Some signs that you should contact your GP include about tummy pain or bloating include:
- Dull or aching pain or discomfort in the top left or top right of your tummy.
- Bloating.
- Loss of appetite.
- Feeling full soon after eating.
- A change in your pooing habits that lasts more than 4 weeks. This might be pooing more or less often than usual. Or having constipation, diarrhoea, or a mix of the two.
- Accompanied by other symptoms of blood cancer.
If you have tummy pain, bloating or a change in pooing habits that lasts more than 4 weeks and your GP can’t identify a cause, they should refer you urgently. If they can feel a swollen liver or spleen, they should consider an urgent blood test. If your GP does not offer a blood test, ask for one.
If you are struggling to get help
Nearly 3 in 10 people with leukaemia have to speak to their GP three or more times before getting a diagnosis.
There may be many possible explanations for your symptoms for a GP to consider.
If you have to go back to your GP three or more times about the same symptom, remind them about Jess’ rule. This encourages GPs to ‘reflect, review and rethink’, particularly if:
- You still have the symptoms
- They have got worse
- They are unexplained
Take a look at our Spot Leukaemia campaign to find out what we’re doing to help the public and GPs spot the signs of leukaemia sooner.
Sources
We used an AI tool to help identify relevant evidence sources for this webpage, such as scientific journals and clinical guidelines. A human checked the reliability of these sources.
Sources we used to develop this information
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Page last reviewed: 10 September 2026
Updated September 2026
Next review due: 30 September 2029
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