What are the symptoms of stomach cancer and what to do next
Miscellaneous / / June 15, 2021
Heartburn and indigestion are not always signs of gastritis.
What is stomach cancer
Stomach cancerStomach cancer / Mayo Clinic Is a malignant tumor in which abnormal cells of the mucous membrane appear and intensively divide. This ailment takesGastric Cancer / Medscape sixth in the world in terms of prevalence and fourth among reasonsCancer / World Health Organization deaths associated with cancer.
Why does stomach cancer occur?
The tumor developsStomach cancer / Mayo Clinicif the structure of DNA changes in the tissues of the mucous membrane. The cells begin to divide quickly, do not age or die, as healthy people should do. Instead, they accumulate and form a tumor that can destroy the surrounding tissue. Some cells even break off and are delivered to other organs through the blood or lymph. Metastases appear there.
Why the DNA structure is changing, scientists do not know for sure. But on the other hand, they identified the factorsStomach cancer / Mayo Clinicthat increase your risk of cancer:
- Obesity.
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease is when stomach contents are thrown back into the esophagus because the muscle ring between them is not fully compressed.
- Improper nutrition. It is bad for the stomach if a person eats a lot of salty and smoked food and little fruits and vegetables.
- Helicobacter pylori infection. It is a bacteria that causes stomach inflammation.
- Chronic gastritis.
- Smoking.
- AbuseStomach Cancer Risk Factors / American Cancer Society alcohol. The risk is higher if a person drinks a dayAlcohol poisoning / Mayo Clinic more than a liter of beer, or half a liter of wine, or 130 milliliters of 40-degree alcohol.
- TransferredGastric Cancer Clinical Presentation / Medscape stomach surgery.
- Polyps of the stomach. This is the name of small benign outgrowths on the mucous membrane.
- Hereditary predisposition. It is believed that 10% of people have stomach cancer transmittedGastric Cancer Clinical Presentation / Medscape from close relatives.
- General immunodeficiency. In this state, a person is disturbedStomach Cancer Risk Factors / American Cancer Society synthesis of antibodies, therefore, the protection against microorganisms is reduced. This leads to frequent infectious diseases, atrophic gastritis, pernicious anemia and stomach cancer.
- Epstein-Barr virus. He callsStomach Cancer Risk Factors / American Cancer Society Infectious mononucleosis. It is believed that this virus can provoke less aggressive stomach swelling compared to other causes.
- Pernicious anemiaGastric Cancer Clinical Presentation / Medscape. This is a decrease in the level hemoglobin in the blood associated with a lack of vitamin B12. The disease leads to a violation of the synthesis of substances that protect the gastric mucosa.
- HarmfulStomach Cancer Risk Factors / American Cancer Society Work. It is believed that people who work in the metals and mining industries have a higher risk of developing stomach cancer.
- The second Group bloodStomach Cancer Risk Factors / American Cancer Society.
- RadiationGastric Cancer Clinical Presentation / Medscape.
What are the symptoms of stomach cancer
At an early stage, a tumor is difficult to recognize, because it has no specificGastric Cancer / Medscape signs. Many people think it's just a mild ailment. Therefore, most of the pronounced symptoms appear already in a neglected form. Here's what to look forGastric Cancer / Medscape :
- Recurrent nausea or vomiting.
- Decreased appetite.
- PainStomach cancer / Mayo Clinic in the upper abdomen between the ribs.
- Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia).
- Bloating.
- Feeling full after eating very little.
- Heartburn.
- Black stool (melena), which comes from bleeding in the stomach and leads to anemia.
- Sudden weight loss.
- Vomiting of blood (hematomesis).
- Enlarged lymph nodes above the left clavicle and in the anterior region of the armpit.
What to do if there are symptoms of stomach cancer
If any of the listed changes appear, you need to contact a therapist. If necessary, he will refer you to an oncologist.
To make an accurate diagnosis, the doctor will prescribe an examination. It will includeStomach cancer / Mayo Clinic:
- Endoscopy. This is a procedure in which a thin tube with a video camera is inserted through the mouth. So you can carefully examine the gastric mucosa.
- Biopsy. The doctor pinches off a piece of suspicious tissue during an endoscopy, and then sends the sample to the laboratory for examination.
- X-ray or CT. The pictures are taken after the person has drunk the barium solution. This substance helps to see the inner contours of the stomach.
If doctors cannot make an accurate diagnosis and determine the stage of the cancer, the person will be removed several lymph nodes from the abdominal cavity to check their structure in the laboratory.
How is stomach cancer treated?
The oncologist will draw up an individual plan for dealing with the disease, focusing on the stage of the cancer, the size and location of the tumor, as well as the general health of the patient.
Operation
Its goal is to remove tissue altered by the tumor. There are the following optionsStomach cancer / Mayo Clinic:
- Endoscopic mucosal resection. The doctor will insert a tube with a camera and surgical instrument through the mouth to cut out the area of cancer. This method is used only at an early stage.
- Subtotal gastric resection. The surgeon will remove not only the part of the organ affected by cancer, but also some tissue from the small intestine if the tumor is located in the lower part of the stomach.
- Complete gastrectomy. This operation is performed if the tumor is large or grows in the body of the stomach or at the junction with the esophagus. Therefore, the doctor will remove the entire stomach and surrounding tissues and connect the esophagus to the intestines. The person who underwent surgery will have toDumping Syndrome / Mayo Clinic follow a diet: eat small meals five to six times a day, do not drink while eating and immediately after. Also, doctors will advise to eat more protein foods (meat, poultry, fish), complex carbohydrates, while reducing the consumption of sweet and dairy products. And be sure to drink 1.4-1.9 liters of water per day.
Chemotherapy
Strong medicinesStomach cancer / Mayo Clinic help kill cancer cells that have spread outside the stomach.
Chemotherapy is sometimes given before surgery to shrink the tumor. But more often, medications are used after surgery or in combination with other methods.
Radiation therapy
With helpStomach cancer / Mayo Clinic powerful X-ray or proton radiation destroys cancer cells. If a person is exposed to radiation before surgery, it makes the tumor smaller and easier for the doctor to remove. After surgery, radiation therapy kills the remaining cancer cells.
Immunotherapy
ApplyStomach cancer / Mayo Clinic drugs that help the immune system recognize and attack cancer cells. This method is used in cases where the tumor has spread to other organs or returned after treatment.
Targeted therapy
It is also called biotherapy. UseStomach cancer / Mayo Clinic medicines that interfere with the biochemical processes in cancer cells and prevent the tumor from growing. The technique is often combined with chemotherapy.
Palliative care
So calledStomach cancer / Mayo Clinic supportive treatment that is prescribed to patients in serious condition. For example, in case of cancer at the last stage, when it is impossible to completely remove the tumor, the doctor cuts out part of the stomach so that the patient feels less pain and pressure on neighboring organs.
Palliative care is used after chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery to reduce the unpleasant symptoms of aggressive treatment.
How to reduce your risk of stomach cancer
There are no guaranteed ways to avoid this. But to reduce the risks, doctors adviseStomach cancer / Mayo Clinic:
- Maintain a healthy weight. You can focus on body mass index.
- Eat right. The diet should be high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Eat less red or processed meats (such as bacon, ham, and sausage) and drink less sugary drinks.
- Stop drinking or cut back on alcohol.
- Quit smoking.
- Get rid of Helicobacter pylori if there are unpleasant symptoms: heaviness, heartburn and abdominal pain.
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