Description

Stomach cancer, also known as gastric cancer, is a growth of cells that begins in the stomach. The stomach is located in the upper part of the middle part of the abdomen just below the ribs. The stomach helps break down and digest food.

Stomach cancer can occur in any part of the stomach. In most of the world, cancers of the stomach to happen in the main part of the stomach. This part is called the body of the stomach.

In the united States, stomach cancer is more likely to start at the gastroesophageal junction. This is the part where the length of the tube that carries food you swallow it meets the stomach. The tube that carries food to the stomach is called the esophagus.

When the cancer begins in the stomach is a factor of health care providers think of it at the time of a treatment plan. Other factors may include the stage of the cancer and the type of cells involved. Treatment often includes surgery to remove the cancer of stomach. Other treatments may be used before and after surgery.

Treatment of stomach cancer is more likely to be successful if the cancer is found only in the stomach. The prognosis for people with small cancers of the stomach is quite good. Many can expect to be cured. The majority of stomach cancers are found when the disease is advanced, and a cure is less likely. The stomach cancer that grows through the wall of the stomach or spreads to other parts of the body is more difficult to cure.

Symptoms

The signs and symptoms of stomach cancer can include:

  • Difficulty swallowing
  • Belly pain
  • Feeling bloated after eating
  • Feeling full after eating small amounts of food
  • Not feel hungry when you can expect to get hungry
  • Heartburn
  • Indigestion
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Losing weight without trying
  • Feeling very tired
  • The stools that look black

The stomach cancer does not always produce symptoms in its early stages. When they do occur, symptoms may include indigestion and pain in the upper abdomen. The symptoms may not occur until the cancer is advanced. Last stages of stomach cancer can cause symptoms such as tiredness, loss of weight without trying, nausea, vomiting of blood, and have black stools.

The stomach cancer that spreads to other parts of the body is called metastatic cancer of the stomach. Causes specific symptoms where it spreads. For example, when the cancer spreads to the lymph nodes may cause lumps can be felt through the skin. Cancer that spreads to the liver can cause yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes. If the cancer spreads in the womb, it can cause the liquid to fill the stomach. The belly may be swollen.

When to see a doctor

If you have signs and symptoms that worry you, make an appointment with your health care provider. Many conditions can cause symptoms similar to those caused by stomach cancer. Your doctor may do to those other causes first before you can test for cancer of the stomach.

Causes

It is not clear what causes stomach cancer. Experts believe that the majority of stomach cancers start when something hurts the inner lining of the stomach. Examples include having an infection in the stomach, long-standing acid reflux and eating a lot of salty foods. Not all people with these risk factors is presented by the cancer of the stomach, though. So more research is needed to find out exactly what causes it.

Stomach cancer begins when something hurts cells in the inner lining of the stomach. This causes the cells to develop changes in their DNA. A cell's DNA contains the instructions that tell a cell what to do. The changes that indicate cells that multiply rapidly. The cells can continue living when healthy cells would die as a part of their life cycle. This causes a great amount of cells in the stomach. The cells form a mass called a tumor.

The cancer cells in the stomach can invade and destroy healthy body tissue. They could start to grow on the wall of the stomach. At the time, cancer cells can break off and spread to other parts of the body. When cancer cells spread to other parts of the body is called metastasis.

Types of stomach cancer

The type of stomach cancer that is based on the type of cell in which the cancer began. Examples of the types of stomach cancer include:

  • The Adenocarcinoma. Adenocarcinoma of stomach cancer begins in the cells that produce mucus. This is the most common type of stomach cancer. Almost all of the cancers that begin in the stomach are adenocarcinomas of the stomach cancers.
  • Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST). The GIST is started in special nerve cells that are found in the wall of the stomach and other digestive organs. GIST is a type of soft tissue sarcoma.
  • Carcinoid tumors. Carcinoid tumors are cancers that originate in neuroendocrine cells. The neuroendocrine cells are found in many places in the body. They do a little bit of nerve cell functions, and some of the work of cells that produce hormones. Carcinoid tumors are a type of neuroendocrine tumor.
  • The lymphoma. Lymphoma is a cancer that begins in the cells of the immune system. The body's immune system fights germs. The lymphoma can sometimes begins in the stomach if the body sends immune cells to the stomach. This can occur if the body is trying to fight off an infection. The majority of the lymphomas that start in the stomach, are a type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Risk factors

The factors that increase the risk of stomach cancer include:

  • The ongoing problems with the acid of the stomach to flow back into the esophagus, it is called gastroesophageal reflux disease
  • A diet high in salty and smoked foods
  • A diet low in fruits and vegetables
  • The infection in the stomach caused by a bacteria called Helicobacter pylori.
  • The swelling and irritation on the inside of the stomach, called gastritis
  • Smoking
  • Noncancerous growths on the cells in the stomach, called polyps
  • Family history of stomach cancer
  • The family history of genetic syndromes that increase the risk of stomach cancer and other cancers, such as hereditary diffuse gastric cancer, Lynch syndrome, polyposis syndrome, juvenile, peutz-jeghers syndrome and familial adenomatous polyposis

Prevention

To reduce the risk of cancer of the stomach, you can:

  • Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Try to include fruits and vegetables in your diet every day. Choose from a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables.
  • Reduce the amount of salty and smoked food that you eat. Protect your stomach by the limitation of these foods.
  • Stop smoking. If you smoke, stop smoking. If you don't smoke, don't start. Smoking increases your risk of cancer of the stomach, and many other types of cancer. Quitting smoking can be very difficult, so ask your health care provider for help.
  • Tell your health care provider if the stomach cancer runs in your family. People with a strong family history of stomach cancer may have stomach cancer screening. These tests can detect stomach cancer before it causes symptoms.

Diagnosis

Tests and procedures used to diagnose and detect stomach cancer include:

  • Looking at the interior of the stomach. To look for signs of cancer, your doctor might use a tiny camera to see inside your stomach. This procedure is called an upper endoscopy. A thin tube with a tiny camera on the end is passed down your throat and into the stomach.
  • Take a sample of tissue for analysis. If something that looks like the cancer is found in its stomach, it can be eliminated from the test. This is called a biopsy. Can be done during an upper endoscopy. Special tools are passed through the tube to obtain the tissue sample. The sample is sent to a laboratory for analysis.

To determine the stage of the cancer of stomach

Once found to have cancer of the stomach, it is possible to have other tests to see if the cancer has spread. This information is used to give the cancer a stage. The scenario tells your provider how advanced the cancer is located, and on your prognosis. Tests and procedures used to find the stage of stomach cancer include:

  • Blood tests.A blood test can't diagnose stomach cancer. Blood tests can give your provider of clues about your health. For example, tests to measure the health of your liver would show the problems caused by the stomach cancer that spreads to the liver. Another type of blood test in search of pieces of the cancer cells in the blood. This is called a circulating tumor DNA test. It is only used in certain situations for people with stomach cancer. For example, you can use this test if you have advanced cancer and may not have a biopsy. The collection of parts of the blood cells can give to your health care team information to help plan your treatment.
  • The stomach ultrasound.Ultrasound is an imaging test that uses sound waves to create images. For stomach cancer, the pictures may show the extent to which the cancer has grown into the wall of the stomach. To obtain the images, a thin tube with a camera on the tip, it goes down the throat and into the stomach. A special type of ultrasound is used the tool to make the images of the stomach. The ultrasound can be used to examine the lymph nodes near the stomach. The images can help to guide a needle to collect tissue of the lymph nodes. The tissue is then analyzed in a lab to look for cancer cells.
  • Imaging tests. Imaging tests make pictures to help your care team to search for signs of stomach cancer has spread. Images may show cancer cells in the lymph nodes or to other parts of the body. The tests may include CT and positron emission tomography (PET).
  • Surgery. Sometimes the test picture does not give a clear picture of your cancer, and the surgery is needed to see the inside of the body. The surgery can look for cancer that has spread, which is also called metastatic cancer. The surgery can help your health care team make sure that there are small fragments of cancer in the liver or in the womb.

Blood tests. A blood test can't diagnose stomach cancer. Blood tests can give your provider of clues about your health. For example, tests to measure the health of your liver would show the problems caused by the stomach cancer that spreads to the liver.

Another type of blood test in search of pieces of the cancer cells in the blood. This is called a circulating tumor DNA test. It is only used in certain situations for people with stomach cancer. For example, you can use this test if you have advanced cancer and may not have a biopsy. The collection of parts of the blood cells can give to your health care team information to help plan your treatment.

The stomach ultrasound. Ultrasound is an imaging test that uses sound waves to create images. For stomach cancer, the pictures may show the extent to which the cancer has grown into the wall of the stomach. To obtain the images, a thin tube with a camera on the tip, it goes down the throat and into the stomach. A special type of ultrasound is used the tool to make the images of the stomach.

The ultrasound can be used to examine the lymph nodes near the stomach. The images can help to guide a needle to collect tissue of the lymph nodes. The tissue is then analyzed in a lab to look for cancer cells.

Other tests may be used in certain situations.

Your health care team uses the information from these tests to give your cancer a stage. The stages of stomach cancer are the numbers 0 to 4.

In stage 0, the cancer is small and only on the inner surface of the stomach. Stage 1 stomach cancer has grown into the inner layers of the stomach. In the stage 2 and stage 3, the cancer grows the most in the wall of the stomach. The cancer may have spread to nearby lymph nodes. In stage 4, stomach cancer may have grown up through the stomach and into nearby organs. Stage 4 includes cancers that have spread to other parts of the body. When cancer spreads, it is called metastatic cancer. When the stomach cancer metastasizes, often spreads to the lymph nodes or the liver. You can also go for the lining around the organs in the abdomen, called the peritoneum.

Your health care team can give your cancer a new stage after your first treatment. There are different staging systems for cancer of the stomach, which may be used after surgery or after chemotherapy.

The understanding of their prognosis

Your healthcare team uses the stage of the cancer to understand your prognosis. The prognosis is the chance that the cancer can be cured. For stomach cancer, the prognosis for early-stage cancer is very good. As the stage gets higher, the chances of healing decrease. Even when the stomach cancer can't be cured, treatments can help control cancer to prolong your life and make you feel comfortable.

Things that can influence the prognosis for stomach cancer include:

  • The type of cancer
  • The stage of the cancer
  • Where is the cancer in the stomach
  • Your health in general
  • If the cancer is removed completely with surgery
  • If the cancer responds to treatment with chemotherapy or radiation therapy

If you are concerned about your prognosis, talk with your provider. Ask about the severity of his cancer.

The detection of stomach cancer before it causes symptoms

Sometimes the tests are used to look for stomach cancer in people who do not have symptoms. This is called stomach cancer screening. The goal of screening is to detect cancer of the stomach when it is small and is more likely to be cured.

In the united States, stomach cancer screening tests are only for people with a high risk of stomach cancer. The risk may be high if the stomach cancer runs in your family. You could have a high risk if you have a genetic syndrome that can lead to cancer of the stomach. Examples include the hereditary diffuse gastric cancer, Lynch syndrome, polyposis syndrome, juvenile, peutz-jeghers syndrome and familial adenomatous polyposis.

In other parts of the world where stomach cancer is much more common tests to detect the cancer of the stomach is more widely used.

Endoscopy is the most common test used to detect cancer of the stomach. Some countries use X-rays to detect cancer of the stomach.

The stomach cancer screening is an active area of cancer research. Scientists are studying the blood tests and other ways to detect stomach cancer before it causes symptoms.

Treatment

Treatment options for stomach cancer depend on the cancer's location within the stomach and its stage. Your health care provider also think about your general health and your preferences when making a treatment plan. Stomach cancer treatments include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy and palliative care.

Surgery

The goal of surgery for stomach cancer, also known as gastric cancer, is to remove all of the cancer. For small cancers of the stomach, surgery could be the first treatment. Other treatments may be used in the first place, if the stomach cancer grows the most in the wall of the stomach or spreads to the lymph nodes.

Operations is used to treat cancer of the stomach include:

  • The elimination of small cancers of the lining of the stomach. Very small cancers can be cut away from the inner layer of the stomach. To eliminate the cancer, a tube is passed down the throat and into the stomach. Special cutting tools are passed through the tube to cut out the cancer. This procedure is called endoscopic mucosal resection. Could be an option for the treatment of stage 1 cancer that grows in the lining of the stomach.
  • The removal of a part of the stomach. This procedure is called a subtotal gastrectomy. The surgeon removes part of the stomach affected by the cancer and some healthy tissue around it. Could be an option if your cancer of the stomach is located in the part of the stomach nearest the small intestine.
  • The removal of the entire stomach. This procedure is called a total gastrectomy. This involves removal of the entire stomach and part of the surrounding tissue. The surgeon connects the esophagus to the small intestine to allow the food move through the digestive system. Total gastrectomy is a treatment for cancers in the part of the stomach that is closest to the esophagus.
  • Removal of the lymph nodes to see if there is cancer. The surgeon may remove lymph nodes in the abdomen in order to test them for cancer.
  • Surgery to relieve symptoms. An operation to remove part of the stomach may relieve the symptoms of a cancer growth. This could be an option if the cancer is advanced and other treatments have not helped.

The small stage 1 cancers of the stomach can often be cut off from the inner lining of the stomach. But if the cancer grows in the muscular layer of the wall of the stomach, this may not be an option. Some of the cancers in stage 1, you may need surgery to remove some or all of the stomach.

For the stage 2 and stage 3 cancers of the stomach, surgery might not be the first treatment. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy may be used first to reduce the size of the cancer. This could make it easier to remove the cancer completely. The surgery often involves the removal of some or all of the stomach and also some lymph nodes.

If the stage 4 stomach cancer grows through the stomach and into nearby organs, surgery may be an option. To remove all of the cancer, the parts of the nearby organs can be removed, too. Other treatments may be used first to reduce the size of the cancer. If a stage 4 cancer cannot be completely removed, surgery may help control symptoms.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is a drug treatment that uses chemicals to kill cancer cells. Types of chemotherapy include:

  • Chemotherapy, that travels through your entire body. The most common type of chemotherapy drugs travel throughout your body, killing the cancer cells. This is called systemic chemotherapy. The drugs can be administered through a vein or taken in pill form.
  • The chemotherapy that only happens in the womb. This type of chemotherapy is called chemotherapy intraperitoneal hyperthermic (HIPEC). HIPEC is performed immediately after the surgery. After the surgeon removes the cancer of stomach, drugs of chemotherapy is placed directly into the womb. The drug is heated to make them more effective. Chemotherapy is left in place over a period of time and then drained.

Chemotherapy might not be needed for the stage 1 stomach cancer. It might not be necessary if the surgery removed all the cancer and there is a low risk of the cancer coming back.

Chemotherapy is often used before surgery for the treatment of stage 2 and stage 3 of the cancers of the stomach. Systemic chemotherapy may help reduce the size of the cancer, so that it is easier to remove. Administration of chemotherapy before surgery is called neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Systemic chemotherapy can be used after surgery if there is a risk that some cancer cells were left behind. This risk may be higher if the cancer grows in the depth of the wall of the stomach or spreads to the lymph nodes. Giving chemotherapy after surgery is called adjuvant chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy may be used alone or combined with radiotherapy.

If surgery is not an option, the use of systemic chemotherapy can be recommended in its place. Can be used if the cancer is very advanced or if you are not healthy enough to undergo the surgery. Chemotherapy can help control the symptoms of cancer.

HIPEC is an experimental treatment that could be an option for stage 4 stomach cancer. Can be used if the cancer cannot be completely removed, because it stretches through the stomach and into nearby organs. The surgeon may remove as much of the cancer as possible. Then HIPEC helps to kill the cancer cells that are left.

Radiation therapy

Radiation therapy uses high-powered beams of energy to kill cancer cells. The beams can come from X-rays, protons or other sources. During radiation therapy, you lie on a table while a machine gives you the treatment of radiation to precise points on your body.

Radiation therapy is often done at the same time as chemotherapy. Doctors sometimes call this the chemoradiation.

Radiation therapy might not be needed for the stage 1 stomach cancer. It might not be necessary if the surgery removed all the cancer and there is a low risk that the cancer will come back.

Radiation is sometimes used before surgery for the treatment of stage 2 and stage 3 of the cancers of the stomach. You can shrink the cancer so that it is easier to remove. Giving the radiation before surgery is called neoadjuvant radiation therapy.

Radiation therapy may be used after surgery if the cancer cannot be completely eliminated. Giving the radiation after surgery is called radiation adjuvant.

The radiation can help to relieve the symptoms of stomach cancer if the cancer is advanced or surgery is not possible.

Targeted therapy

The targeted therapies use drugs that the attack of chemical agents that are present in cancer cells. By blocking these chemicals, specific treatments can cause cancer cells to die.

Cancer cells are subjected to the test to see if targeted therapy is likely to work for you.

For stomach cancer, targeted therapy is often used with systemic chemotherapy. Targeted therapy is usually used for the advanced stomach cancer. This could include the stage 4 stomach cancer and the cancer that comes back after treatment.

Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is treatment with medicines that help your body's immune system to kill cancer cells. Your immune system fights diseases by attacking the germs and other cells that should not be in your body. Cancer cells survive by hiding from the immune system. Immunotherapy helps the cells of the immune system find and kill cancer cells.

Immunotherapy is sometimes used to treat advanced cancer. This could include the stage 4 stomach cancer or cancer that comes back after treatment.

Palliative care

Palliative care is a special type of health care that helps you feel better when you have a serious illness. If you have cancer, palliative care can help relieve the pain and other symptoms. Palliative care is performed by a team of health care providers. This may include doctors, nurses and other specially trained professionals. Your goal is to improve the quality of life for you and your family.

Palliative care specialists work with you, your family and your health care team to help you to feel better. They provide an extra layer of support, while you have cancer treatment. You can have palliative care at the same time so strong cancer treatments, such as surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy.

When palliative care is used along with all other appropriate treatments, people with cancer may feel better and live longer.

Coping and support

A cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming and frightening. It may take time to adapt to the initial shock of his diagnosis. In the time that you're going to find ways to cope. Until then, it may help to:

  • Learn enough to make decisions about your care. Ask your health care provider to write the details of your cancer. This may include the type, stage and treatment options. Use the details to find out more information about stomach cancer. Learn about the benefits and risks of each treatment option.
  • Connect with other cancer survivors. Ask your doctor about support groups in your area. Or go online and connect with cancer survivors on message boards, such as those run by the American Cancer Society.
  • Stay active. Being diagnosed with cancer does not mean that you have to stop doing the things that you enjoy or do normally. For the most part, if you feel well enough to do something, go ahead and do it.

Preparing for your appointment

Start by seeing your health care provider if you have any symptoms that worry you. If your doctor believes you may have a stomach problem, you may be referred to a specialist. This could be a doctor who diagnoses and treats problems in the digestive system. This doctor is called a gastroenterologist.

Once the stomach cancer is diagnosed, you may be referred to other specialists. This could be a cancer doctor, which is also called an oncologist or a surgeon who specializes in the functioning of the digestive tract.

It is a good idea to be prepared for your appointment. Here's some information to help you prepare, and what to expect from your doctor.

What you can do

  • Be aware of any pre-appointment restrictions. At the time you make the appointment, be sure to ask if there is anything that you need to do in advance, such as restrict your diet.
  • Write down any symptoms you're experiencing, including any that may seem unrelated to the reason for which you scheduled the appointment.
  • Write down key personal information, including any major stresses or recent life changes.
  • Make a list of all medications, vitamins or supplements you are taking.
  • Note what appears to improve or worsen your signs and symptoms. Follow the track of that food, drugs, or other factors of influence of your signs and symptoms.
  • Consider the possibility of a family member or friend. Sometimes it can be difficult to absorb all of the information provided during an appointment. Someone who accompanies you may remember something that you missed or forgot.
  • Write questions to ask their doctor.

Your time with your doctor is limited, so preparing a list of questions. A list of questions from most important to least important in case time runs out. For stomach cancer, some basic questions to ask include:

  • What type of stomach cancer do I have?
  • How advanced is my stomach cancer?
  • What other types of tests do I need?
  • What are my treatment options?
  • How successful are the treatments?
  • What are the benefits and risks of each option?
  • There is an option that you feel is best for me?
  • How will the treatment affect my life? Can I keep working?
  • Should I seek a second opinion? What will that cost, and will my insurance cover it?
  • Are there brochures or other printed material that I can take with me? What sites do you recommend?

In addition to the questions you have prepared, do not hesitate to ask other questions to think about during your appointment.

What to expect from your doctor

Your provider is likely to ask questions. Be ready to answer them may allow more time later to cover other points you want to address. Your provider may ask:

  • When did you first begin experiencing symptoms?
  • The symptoms been continuous or occasional?
  • How severe are the symptoms?
  • What, if anything, seems to improve your symptoms?
  • What, if anything, appears to worsen your symptoms?
Symptoms and treatment of Stomach cancer