One of the most common types of oncology today is stomach cancer. Adenocarcinoma is a type of tumor that develops from the glandular epithelium of an organ. This is an extremely dangerous form of the disease - almost a third of deaths from cancer causes it. The vast majority of cases of gastric cancer are associated with adenocarcinoma - only 5% of patients are diagnosed with other types of tumors.
This type of tumor is insidious - for a long time it does not make itself felt or “hides” under the guise of other gastric diseases. Therefore, a patient who has discovered signs of, for example, gastritis, will also need to be tested for cancer.
What is adenocarcinoma of the stomach
This tumor occurs as a result of damage to the gastric mucosa. The protection of cells disappears, which, when exposed to environmental influences, begin to mutate and turn into cancerous ones. Most often, adenocarcinoma is localized in two sections of the lower part of the stomach:
- pyloric - this department is called the “pylorus", since it is he who directs the digested food for its further processing in the duodenum;
- antrum - is responsible for the final processing of food to a state of homogeneous mass before serving it in the pyloric department.
The main problem with this type of cancer is that in the early stages it is extremely difficult to diagnose due to the absence of external symptoms. Often, when a person goes to the doctor with adenocarcinoma of the stomach, the prognosis is already disappointing.
Classification of adenocarcinomas
One of the most important indicators by which this type of tumor is divided is the degree of differentiation. The higher this indicator, the less cancer cells differ from ordinary epithelial cells. Three types of tumors are distinguished:
- low grade;
- moderately differentiated;
- highly differentiated.
Low-grade stomach adenocarcinoma is considered the most dangerous and aggressive variety.
A classification of adenocarcinomas according to “appearance” and nature of development is also widespread:
- Polypoid tumor - the name is given for its similarity to a polyp of the stomach, the boundaries are clearly marked.
- Cancer ulcer is a flat tumor with an ulcer in the middle.
- Ulcerated cancer - has a very strong resemblance to a stomach ulcer. Such a cancer can only be diagnosed by biopsy.
- Scirrhosis is a real "invader", spreads rapidly along the wall of the stomach and is difficult to diagnose. It gives metastases early.
The last two subspecies are especially dangerous, especially if adenocarcinomas of the stomach are poorly differentiated. They are difficult to identify, while proceeding aggressively and spread rapidly.
Causes of occurrence
Adenocarcinoma begins to develop with damage to the organ mucosa. In the case of the stomach, this may be due to the following reasons:
- High nitrite foods - smoked foods, fried foods, canned foods, and fast food.
- The microorganism Helicobacter pylori, so often mentioned in television commercials. The bacterium secretes substances that destroy the protective layer of the stomach and cause constant irritation. People infected with this bacterium, especially in the presence of an ulcer or gastritis, are advised to periodically conduct a special examination - fibrogastroduodenoscopy (FGDS).
- Bad habits - alcohol, smoking and so on.
- Hereditary predisposition - people at whose relatives this disease was found are at particular risk.
- Vitamin A, C, and E. Deficiency
- Caused by various causes, duodenogastric reflux (GHD), when food from the duodenum is thrown back into the stomach.
Any gastric disease also increases the likelihood of adenocarcinoma - gastritis, peptic ulcer, changes in epithelial cells or polyps.
Symptoms
Adenocarcinoma of the stomach may not reveal itself for a long time. Fatigue, weakness, some weight loss are difficult to unambiguously link to the development of cancer - these problems can be caused by anything. A little later, symptoms that are often mistaken for gastritis appear:
- the stomach begins to hurt after eating;
- if the tumor is located in the stomach area close to the heart (cardiac section) - belching and heartburn begin;
- appetite falls.
Specific symptoms appear when the disease is already sufficiently started. Unfortunately, most often patients go to the doctor already at this stage of gastric adenocarcinoma. The prognosis in this case is unfavorable:
- Eating preferences are changing. Often there is a rejection of meat food.
- The stomach seems to be densely packed even after a light snack, food begins to stagnate, nausea appears - such manifestations are characteristic of a tumor located in the pyloric stomach.
- The tumor begins to bleed, leading to anemia with an appropriate set of symptoms: weakness, headaches, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and so on. The chair becomes like tar.
The listed signs indicate that the disease has gone far enough. The chances of recovery in this case are low.
Stages of adenocarcinoma of the stomach
At different stages of the disease, there is a statistically derived probability of a complete recovery of the patient:
- The initial stage - only the mucous membrane is affected, the percentage of recovery is high and approaches 100%.
- The first stage of gastric adenocarcinoma - local lymph nodes begin to suffer, the probability of recovery is 60-80%.
- The tumor of the second stage extends to the regional lymph nodes and grows to the muscle membrane of the stomach. The survival forecast is 30-40%.
- The third stage - all the tissues of the stomach are affected, the tumor "reaches" even to very distant lymph nodes. About 12-20% of patients recover.
- The onset of metastasis is stage 4 of gastric adenocarcinoma. The probability of survival for the patient is extremely low - less than 5%.
Doctors rarely manage to capture the disease at the initial stage - as a rule, this happens by chance when conducting any examinations that are not related to cancer. How much they live with adenocarcinoma of the stomach depends on the neglect of the disease. Life expectancy in the later stages is an average of 5 years. But if the patient overcame this time mark, then, as a rule, he lives another 5 years. Patients under the age of 50 recover almost twice as often compared to older people.
Diagnostics
When the patient has primary symptoms, a general blood test is performed. The following indicators indicate the presence of the disease:
- low red blood cell count indicates anemia;
- a large number of white blood cells is evidence of an inflammatory process.
The most reliable diagnostic methods are biopsies with preliminary gastroscopy. First, doctors study the mucosa with an endoscope. If cancer is suspected, an epithelium sample is taken for analysis, the study of which allows you to establish an adenocarcinoma with a probability close to 100%.
Radiography is also used - the patient consumes a special fluid inside, which later on, with an x-ray clearance, allows you to see defects in the walls of the stomach, indicating the presence of a tumor.
If metastases are suspected, a complete computed tomography or ultrasound scan is performed. Typically, with adenocarcinoma of the stomach, the first metastases appear in the liver and lymph nodes related to the stomach and intestines.
Traditional treatment
In the treatment of gastric adenocarcinoma, various methods of therapy are used - chemotherapy, surgery, radiation therapy. Traditional medicine is also used.
Recently, an active study of the use of stem cells for the treatment of adenocarcinoma of the stomach. There are no reviews on this method of treatment, but the direction is promising.
The specific type of treatment, its duration and intensity depends on the general condition of the patient, the stage of tumor development, as well as the presence of metastases and associated diseases. The methods of therapy can be used either singly or several at once, or even all at the same time.
- Chemotherapy It is used to inhibit the development of the tumor, relieve symptoms and stop metastasis. It is used, as a rule, after surgical treatment both separately and in conjunction with radiation therapy. Unfortunately, chemo drugs, even the most modern ones, are difficult to tolerate by the body and have pronounced side effects - weight and hair loss, vomiting, nausea, and so on. However, this type of treatment is necessary and very effective, so you should not refuse it. Chemotherapy has saved many patients, and the side effects are reversible and temporary.
- Surgical intervention. In the absence of metastases, surgery is the only way to completely eliminate cancer cells in the body. It can be used at any stage of the development of the disease. The exception is cases when the tumor is so neglected and so "fixed" in the body that surgical intervention is impossible. In such a situation, the patient’s situation is almost hopeless, therefore it is only a question of how long a person with stomach adenocarcinoma will live.
- Immunotherapy - activates the body's own abilities to fight the tumor and prevent relapse. Drugs that affect the immune system also help slow down the development of metastases.
- Radiation therapy. This is a painless therapy that does not involve a traumatic effect on the patient's body. Certain parts of the body are exposed to radiation, which helps stop the development of metastases and reduce pain. In the postoperative period, radiation treatment allows you to "finish off" the cancer cells remaining after surgery, as well as prevent bleeding.
- Stem cells. This type of treatment is still experimental and is available only in several clinics in Russia. However, it is very promising and in the future can lead to a real breakthrough in the treatment of cancer.
Treatment with folk remedies
With moderate adenocarcinoma of the stomach, the following recipes of alternative medicine are used:
- Tincture of aconite. For cooking, you need to take 100 grams of aconite root, pour boiling water and leave for an hour. Then the root should be chopped and filled with alcohol with a strength of approximately 60 degrees. Insist 21 days. You can also buy pre-made tincture at the pharmacy. You need to take the tincture by dissolving in a glass of warm water. The course of administration is 10 days, the dosage begins with one drop, each day one more is added. Take tincture should be half an hour before meals.
- A decoction of potato flowers. Collect potato flowers in full bloom. Dry in a dark place, then grind. Pour half a liter of boiling water over one tablespoon of crushed color and leave for 3 hours. Take the broth for half an hour before eating 150 milliliters 3 times a day. The course lasts two weeks, then a break is made for a week. The total duration of treatment may be six months.
Folk remedies can alleviate the symptoms of oncology and improve overall well-being, but they are unlikely to replace traditional medicine. In any case, the use of folk remedies should be agreed with the attending physician. Self-medication for such a serious illness as adenocarcinoma of the stomach is unacceptable.
Folk remedies do not always bring only benefit, since the body of each person is individual. In addition, cancer treatment is carried out with very strong medicines, which can enter into an unpredictable reaction with the herbal preparations taken. Finally, the patient may have a banal allergy to one or another ingredient, which can worsen the overall clinical picture. The doctor will determine which of the popular recipes is best used in a particular situation.
Possible complications
Basically, complications of gastric adenocarcinoma are manifested either with a severely advanced tumor, or as a result of treatment:
- when a tumor passes through the wall of the stomach and damages large vessels, the patient may experience periodic or continuous bleeding of one or another intensity;
- the presence of metastases in any organs (lungs, liver, etc.) interferes with their work and can lead to corresponding insufficiency;
- a tumor located in the pyloric section of the stomach often leads to problems with the ingestion of food from the stomach into the intestine - pyloric stenosis;
- a cancerous tumor, squeezing the vessels, leads to circulatory disorders in the abdominal cavity, which is accompanied by the accumulation of fluid (ascites, or dropsy).
Surgical treatment of gastric adenocarcinoma is often complicated by various factors: postoperative bleeding, scarring, and stagnation of food in the stomach. To solve this problem, a gastrostomy is used - a hole is made in the abdominal wall, and the patient is fed through it.
Prevention
There are certain measures to help reduce the likelihood of a disease:
- Proper nutrition. It should be fractional (at least three times a day), if possible, take food more often, but in small portions. Food should be moderate in temperature - not too hot. Smoked foods and pickles, fast food and overcooked foods should be excluded. Introduce foods rich in vitamins A, C and E.
- Rejection of bad habits. Smoking and drinking alcohol significantly increase the risk of developing both cancer and many other diseases.
- Regular preventive examinations. Even in the absence of complaints of stomach problems, it is necessary to undergo an examination every 2 years - do fibrogastroduodenoscopy and take an analysis for the presence of the Helicobacter pylori bacteria.
- If you experience regular stomach pain and other unpleasant sensations, you should immediately contact a gastroenterologist - you can not tolerate symptoms.
Stomach adenocarcinoma is an extremely serious disease. Due to the fact that for a long time it can occur without any external manifestations, you should be attentive to your health and consult a doctor in a timely manner - then the disease will be detected at an early stage and successfully defeated.