Stomach cancer
Stomach cancer is an insidious form of cancer that originates in the lining of the stomach. It is a serious condition that often goes undetected until it reaches an advanced stage, primarily due to its extremely subtle early symptoms.
While it can morph into a dangerous and deadly form at a swift pace, it is also easily preventable if it’s detected and treated early on.
At RPS Hospitals, we are renowned for our advanced specialisation in stomach cancer surgery and holistic cancer treatment process that heavily focuses on preventative and comprehensive surgical methods.
What is Gastric Cancer?
Gastric Cancer is another name for stomach cancer and it refers to the condition where abnormal growth of cells continue to proliferate over the stomach and gastric areas.
Types of Stomach Cancer:
There are many types stomach cancer, and they are often classified based on where they start and spread, they mainly include:
Adenocarcinoma: This form of stomach cancer starts in the mucus-producing cells of the stomach lining and it’s often considered to be the most common form of stomach cancer.
Gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs): Gastrointestinal tumours, also known as GIST, is a form of stomach cancer that starts in the special nerve cells that are found in the wall of the stomach and other digestive organs.
Neuroendocrine tumours: Also known as carcinoid tumours, these are cancer that starts in the neuroendocrine cells. Neuroendocrine cells are present in many places of the body and the ones that start in the stomach can be classified as stomach cancer.
Main Causes of Stomach Cancer:
There are several risk factors that contribute to the development of stomach cancer. From bacterial infection to your diet, several risk factors can morph into a deadly form of stomach cancer. These can include:
- Helicobacter pylori Infection
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- Epstein-Barr virus infection.
- Obesity
- Autoimmune atrophic gastritis.
- High Alcohol Intake
- Diets high in salty and smoked foods and low in fruits and vegetables.
- Smoking increases the risk of stomach cancer, particularly in the upper part of the stomach near the oesophagus.
- Family history of stomach cancer
- Certain medical conditions like pernicious anaemia and chronic gastritis can also increase the risk.
Symptoms of Stomach Cancer:
Early-stage stomach cancer symptoms are often vague and can be often confused with minor health issues like stomach sickness. Common cancer symptoms like unexplained weight loss and stomach pain like other types of cancer.
These can include:
- Indigestion or heartburn
- Loss of appetite
- Mild nausea
- Bloating after meals
As the disease progresses, more severe symptoms that indicate the inception of stomach cancer, such as:
- Stomach pain
- Unintended weight loss
- Difficulty swallowing
- Vomiting, possibly with blood
- Fatigue
Diagnosis and Treatment for Stomach Cancer
Diagnosis typically involves a combination of physical exams, imaging tests and diagnostic surgery as it’s the case with most cancer treatments. Some of the most common cancer diagnosis include:
- Blood Tests
- Stomach Ultrasound
- Biopsies
- CT/PET Scans
- Endoscopy
Once cancer is determined, your doctor will proceed with suitable treatment procedures depending on your cancer stage, taking into account your family health history and your history of illness.
Most treatment options depend on the cancer stage and overall health of the patient.Depending on the stage and risk of cancer, your doctor will prescribe treatment that’s most suitable for you.
- Surgery: This will require removing all parts of your stomach where your cancer cells inhibit .
- Chemotherapy: This is a regular therapy where your cancer cells are killed through the use of chemicals and medicines.
- Radiation Therapy: Radiation therapy relies on using high-energy rays to target and destroy cancer cells.
- Targeted Therapy: Targeted therapy targets specific aspects of cancer cells, like the chemicals present in the cancer cells. By targeting these specific aspects they cause cancer cells to die.
Types of Stomach Cancer Surgery:
Stomach Cancer Surgery is the most common and reliable solution to curing stomach cancer. At RPS Hospitals, our team of highly skilled oncology surgeons perform all form stomach cancer surgery to help patients become cancer surgery.
Partial Gastronomy: This procedure is used to remove parts of the stomach, mainly early stage tumours and lymph nodes and along with surrounding tissue to ensure the cancer is gone.
Subtotal Gastronomy: In this type of storm cancer surgery, a part of the stomach along with some surrounding tissue is removed.
Total Gastronomy: In cases where the cancer has spread across the stomach, the entire stomach is removed and is connected with the small intestine to help move through the digestive system.
An Esophagogastrectomy: In this surgery, the oesophagus and parts of the stomach are removed. The oesophagus is then replaced by moving the remaining portion of the stomach upwards or the stomach is replaced with a section of the large bowel via a procedure called colonic reconstruction.
Tips to prevent stomach cancer:
Top preventative measures for stomach cancer include:
- Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables
- Reducing intake of salty and smoked foods
- Quitting smoking
- Treating infections like helicobacter pylori Infection, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and Epstein-Barr virus infection at an early stage.
The prognosis for stomach cancer depends heavily on the stage at diagnosis. Early detection significantly improves survival rates, highlighting the importance of awareness and regular medical check-ups for those at risk. Stomach cancer remains a challenging disease due to its often late diagnosis, but advancements in medical research and treatment are continually improving outcomes for patients and helping more people across the world become cancer-free.