Gastric Cancer

Gastric Cancer – General Information

Gastric Cancer, also known as Stomach Cancer, is a type of cancer that can develop in any part of the patient’s stomach. There are cases in which it can spread from the stomach to other organs, especially to the esophagus and the small intestine. It is considered to be a very dangerous condition, because it causes nearly two million deaths per year and it is spread all over the world. It is still unknown the exact cause of the disease, but the main cause is considered to be the damaged DNA in the stomach cells. There are many other causes that can lead to the appearance of the Gastric Cancer and can include H pylori infection, which is a type of bacteria that lives in the inner layer of the mucous that covers the lining of the stomach and is spread through oral route or ingested in contaminated drinking water; that is why it appears in early ages. These bacteria are the main cause of stomach ulcers. Another cause can be nitrates and nitrites, which are some types of chemicals that are in the composition of certain foods (meat). These chemicals combine with the nitrogen substances and become nitrous compounds which are considered carcinogens. The Gastric Cancer is also thought to develop from the excess slated, smoked or pickled foods and red meat. The main countries that are affected by this type of cancer are Japan and Korea, because they practice a diet high in red meat that is barbecued or well done and pickled.

Gastric Cancer – Symptoms

The main sign and symptom, which is considered the first one of the Gastric Cancer is the microscopic internal bleeding, which can be also determined by tests that check the patient’s stool for blood. The patient can also feel tired due to the internal bleedings, which cause a loss of too many healthy red blood cells, leading to the appearance of anemia. The Gastric Cancer, also in an early stage, can cause symptoms such as heartburn and abdominal pain, signs similar to the ones caused by other more common conditions. The symptoms of the cancer can differ in more advanced stages and can include discomfort in the upper or middle area of the patient’s abdomen that can not be treated with food or antacids, as only when the cancer is diagnosed in an early stage, the pain can be relieved with such a therapy; other symptoms include abdominal discomfort aggravated by eating, black, tarry stools, vomiting blood, vomiting after meals, weakness and fatigue, unintended weight loss and a full sensation after meals, even when eating less than normal can be accused by some patients. There are cases in which the patient can experience these symptoms without suffering from Gastric Cancer. The most common disease that causes similar signs is the peptic ulcer. The cancer is hard to diagnose in an early stage because it can present no signs and symptoms at all (it is said to be asymptomatic), but when manifestations appear, they are reported as vague (another reason to mistake the cancer with other conditions).

Gastric Cancer – Treatment

The type of treatment that the doctor can recommend for a patient who suffers from Gastric Cancer depends on several factors, such as the location of the cancer, the evolution of the cancer, the medical status and the patient’s preferences. In all the cases, the treatment is applied to eliminate the cancer completely. There are also some particular clinical cases, in which the cancer can not be eliminated, and the main goal is to prevent the tumor from growing and causing more damage. Some doctors choose to apply the palliative approach, which can prove to be the best option. The goal of the palliative care is not to remove or slow the growth of the cancer, but to help relieve the signs and symptoms and making it more comfortable for the patient. The main treatment for Gastric Cancer can include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and antibiotics. The surgical approach is the most common procedure to treat the disease. The operation depends on the stage of the cancer, and the doctor can perform a subtotal or partial gastrectomy, which consists in removing one part of the patient’s stomach. Another option is a total gastrectomy, in which the doctor removed all the stomach and some parts of the surrounding tissue. In most cases, during the surgical procedure, the doctor can remove the lymph nodes that are located near the tumor. Usually, after a subtotal operation, the remaining part of the patient’s stomach is attached to the esophagus and the small intestine.

In case of the total operation, the doctor can connect the esophagus directly to the intestine. In some cases, after the gastrectomy, patients tend to experience leakage and obstruction in the area that has been reconstructed. The surgical procedure can also cause side effects such as diarrhea, vomiting and dumping syndrome, which appear when the patient’s small intestine fills too quickly with undigested food. The chemotherapy is also used to treat Gastric Cancer, and uses drugs to kill the cancerous cells. The medications can also be administered intravenously, which makes it easier to travel to the patient’s blood stream, and are usually applied to kill the cancer cells that remain after the surgical procedure. There are cases in which the chemotherapy can be used to control the tumor’s growth. This treatment option can be used alone, but some doctors use it in combination with other therapies. Chemotherapy can be used in combination with radiation therapy when the patient suffers from an advanced stage of the Gastric Cancer, which affected the nearby tissues, and is applied after surgery to increase the survival rate and improve life quality. Radiation therapy, or radiotherapy, is an operation that uses X-rays to kill the cancer cells. It is considered more effective than the chemotherapy because, unlike the chemotherapy, which affects all the body, the radiation therapy affects only the damaged area. Antibiotics can also be used to treat Gastric Cancer and is usually indicated in patients who have pylori gastric lymphomas, because it eliminates the bacteria that caused the cancer.

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Gastric Cancer

Gastric Cancer – General Information

Gastric Cancer – Symptoms

Gastric Cancer – Treatment