With a tumor in the stomach, the uncontrolled spread of cancer cells occurs. According to official statistics, more than seven hundred thousand people die from such a neoplasm in a year in the world. Gastric cancer is very dangerous for metastases. Approximately half of people with this type of cancer begin to metastasize when cancer cells spread from the stomach to other organs.
Causes of pathology
Here is a list of factors that affect the appearance of such a cancer of the stomach:
- The presence of esophageal diseases in the form of esophagitis, gastritis, gastroesophageal reflux disease and peptic ulcer of the stomach.
- Regular smoking The fact is that the tar contained in a cigarette negatively affects overall health and increases the risk of developing stomach cancer by several times.
- Another reason is the Helicobacter bacterium, which parasitizes on the gastric mucosa and affects the appearance of ulcers in this organ. Chronic ulcers provoke the risks of developing stomach cancer.
- The influence of the hereditary factor. In the event that a close relative was ill with stomach cancer, then the risk increases several times.
- The effect of food. Those who regularly eat salty and smoked foods have a high risk of a tumor in the stomach.
- With age, the risks of developing stomach cancer increase significantly, mainly after the age of fifty.
- Cancer pathologies also influence, that is, patients who have already been diagnosed with cancer are also at risk.
Symptoms of this disease
Symptoms of a stomach tumor are very similar to the manifestations of other, less serious pathologies. For this reason, many patients do not undergo examination and only when the disease has already passed to the next stage, they go to the hospital. The earliest symptoms of a tumor in the stomach are:
- The feeling that a person has already eaten with food.
- The occurrence of dysphagia (swallowing disorders).
- Presence of heartburn and bloating after eating.
- The presence of frequent belching and pain in the abdomen or chest.
- Onset of vomiting. An important symptom is the presence of blood in the vomit.
The following signs and symptoms of a stomach tumor should be considered with attention:
- In the presence of dysphagia, when there are difficulties in swallowing food.
- With dyspepsia in combination with unexplained weight loss, anemia (against this background, patients often feel tired).
People who develop a stomach disorder should definitely visit a doctor if:
- A close relative had stomach cancer.
- In Barrett's syndrome, when an abnormality of the esophagus is noted, against which a cylindrical epithelium is observed in the mucous membrane.
- With dysplasia, that is, in the presence of an abnormal number of layers of cell accumulation.
- In the presence of gastritis, when inflammation of the gastric mucosa is noted.
- Against the background of pernicious anemia. Against the background of this ailment, hematopoiesis is noted due to a deficiency of vitamin B12.
- With anemia, when there is low hemoglobin in the blood.
- In the presence of black feces or blood in it. The presence of blood in the stool is one of the most obvious symptoms of a digestive failure, including the appearance of a tumor in the stomach. Signs of a tumor of the stomach should not go unnoticed.
Stages of development of this dangerous pathology
The following stages of tumor development in the stomach are distinguished:
- With the initial development, the neoplasm is limited only to the gastric mucosa.
- At the first stage, a tumor from the mucosa enters already into a deeper layer of the walls of the stomach.
- At the second stage, the tumor grows in all the walls of the stomach.
- In the next stage, a stomach tumor absorbs all the walls of the digestive organ, among other things, the lymph nodes suffer.
- At the fourth stage, metastases occur that spread to other organs.
Diagnosis of a tumor of the stomach
In the event that a person discovers several signs or symptoms that are listed above, you must seek the help of a doctor. If a tumor is suspected in the stomach, the patient will be sent to a specialist for a diagnostic examination. Diagnostic measures will include:
- Gastroscopy Thanks to an endoscopic examination using a gastroscope, doctors visually examine the walls of the esophagus and stomach.
- At the discretion of the doctor, a piece of tissue can be taken from a person for research for diagnostic purposes. This procedure is also called biopsy.
- Ultrasound examination of the abdominal cavity. This procedure is prescribed to examine the abdominal region using ultrasound waves. Upon examination, the image on the monitor will be visible, such an examination is absolutely painless. Ultrasound also shows the processes of metastasis along with an increase in the lymph glands.
- Laparoscopy This procedure is carried out in order to determine the prevalence of cancer, during laparoscopy, the patient is under anesthesia, a laparoscope is introduced through a small incision in the lower abdomen.
- Barium Eating This procedure is carried out in order to diagnose a tumor of the stomach with barium, while the study is carried out on an empty stomach. Patients swallow barium sulfate, after which the doctor evaluates the structure of the duodenum, at this stage you can find an ulcer if this was not possible through laparoscopic examination. The x-ray will display the projection of the stomach along with the functionality of the digestive system.
Therapies for gastric cancer
The treatment of tumors of the stomach largely depends on several factors, including the severity of the disease along with the general health of the patient. Treatment includes surgery along with chemotherapy. In addition, radiation and drug treatment is carried out. Hope for an absolute cure can only come from an operation in which most of the stomach is removed.
In advanced cases, doctors prescribe a combination treatment in the form of radiation and chemotherapy. Chemotherapy can slow down the process of division of cancer cells, but does not remove the tumor itself. Many patients who have undergone such treatment suffer from side effects in the form of metastasis to other organs, most often to the lungs and liver.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is one of the most common methods for treating a tumor in the stomach. It involves exposure to the tumor with the help of special drugs in order to destroy and stop the growth of cancer cells.
The method of delivering chemicals to the human body is different, and the choice remains with the doctor. It can be an intravenous method using pills, as well as intramuscular injections. After chemotherapy, the patient may experience malaise in the form of diarrhea, vomiting, stomatitis (a fairly frequent adverse reaction), decreased libido, hair loss, and so on.
Neoadjuvant chemotherapy for this pathology
Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is prescribed before surgery for a malignant tumor of the stomach, in order to reduce neoplasm. Adjuvant chemotherapy is prescribed after surgery in order to destroy the remaining pathogenic cells. Chemotherapy may be the preferred treatment for some types of stomach cancer. In particular, it is suitable for gastrointestinal tumors and gastric lymphoma.
How is the operation to remove the tumor of the stomach?
Surgical treatment of neoplasm
In the framework of surgery, the following methods are used:
- Endoscopy, which involves the removal of small tumors.
- Perform subtotal gastrectomy, in which part of the stomach is removed surgically.
- Carrying out a total gastrectomy, on the background of which the entire stomach is removed through surgical intervention.
Surgery of a stomach tumor is a very serious procedure, and patients need time to recover from it.
Radiation therapy
Energy rays are used to kill cancer cells. Radiation treatment is usually not used to treat stomach cancer because of the risks of damage to the internal organs that are nearby. But if a cancerous tumor causes bleeding or severe pain, then radiotherapy is considered one of the possible treatment options.
Next, we find out what prevention should be in order to avoid the appearance of a tumor in the stomach.
Prevention of this pathology
Doctors still have not figured out the exact reason for what actually causes a tumor in the stomach. Thus, today there is no effective method of preventing cancer. Nevertheless, each person can reduce development risks if he follows certain recommendations:
- You need to have a strong immune system. People whose immunity is at a high level are less likely to develop stomach cancer.
- You need to eat as little smoked and salty foods as possible.
- Need to quit smoking. It is worth recalling that when smoking in a person, absolutely all organs suffer. But the first organs receiving a dose of poison are the bronchi along with the lungs, nervous system and stomach. In the event that nicotine addiction is much stronger than a person, then it is worth trying to contact a specialized medical institution for help. If a person has already tried a lot, and quitting smoking does not work for him, then at least you should try not to smoke on an empty stomach.
Postoperative care and medical supervision for tumors of the stomach
When a person completes treatment, the doctor will still monitor him and the patient’s well-being. Thus, it is very important to attend all appointments with your doctor. During these visits, the doctor is interested in the well-being of the patient, and, in addition, the problems that have arisen. A doctor may order a laboratory test or tomography in order to rule out a recurrence of a disease or side effects. Almost any cancer therapy causes side effects. Some last up to several weeks or months, while others can be observed all their lives.
Dispensary observation for a disease
Doctors strongly recommend a follow-up with an examination every three to six months during the first years after treatment of a tumor of the stomach. Patients who have had surgery to remove the stomach or part of it require vitamins, including B12. This important vitamin can be ingested only by injection, because when it is taken in pill form, it is not absorbed in the blood if a part of the stomach has been removed.
The disease often returns in the form of a local relapse, which will mean that the tumor forms again in the area in which it was originally. Depending on the degree of the disease and the general condition of the patient, the doctor selects the appropriate treatment technique. Often, doctors resort to using chemotherapy to stop the disease.
Diet for this pathology
An integral part of the treatment of the described disease is proper nutrition. It guarantees not only sufficient energy, but also the required amount of protein, and at the same time minerals and required vitamins. After the treatment of cancer, the patient may lose his appetite, in such patients the perception of the taste of the products often changes. Sometimes you need to change your eating habits or even completely change your diet. Depending on the current state of health, nutritionists can help the patient, and, in addition, doctors who prescribe proper nutrition will make a diet, remove or add certain foods to the food. Here are general recommendations from nutritionists for cancer patients:
- You need to eat in smaller portions, but as often as possible.
- You should consume more fruits and vegetables.
- You need to eat a lot of fish and white meat.
- Only natural foods should be consumed, such as milk along with cheese and eggs.
In patients with gastric cancer, after surgery, abdominal pain can occur along with diarrhea and tachycardia. The occurrence of frequent headaches is not excluded. To alleviate such symptoms, a diet that supposes a restriction of carbohydrates and an increase in protein is suitable.