Cancer is one of the most difficult and life-threatening diseases of our time, and stomach cancer is one of the most difficult types of disease. This is because stomach cancer is a disease that can occur in anyone, regardless of genetic factors, gender, age or socioeconomic status.
Stomach cancer is a type of oncological disease caused by the uncontrolled growth and proliferation of cells on the surface of the stomach that act as a coating. Generally, this cancer can occur at the junction of the esophagus and stomach or throughout the body of the stomach.
Types of Stomach Cancer
Although stomach cancer is a disease that occurs in the form of a tumor, the types of stomach cancer are differentiated from each other according to the location of the tumor. Depending on this situation, stomach cancer types can be briefly examined separately.
- The type called adenocarcinoma is the most common type, which is encountered in 90% of people with stomach cancer. Basically, tumors develop in the gastric mucosa.
- Although lymphoma is a general type of cancer, it can also be seen as a type of stomach cancer in the form of gastric lymphoma. Although it is rare, it can occur within the stomach wall.
- The type known as carcinoid tumor is a type of tumor seen in the cells that produce hormones in the stomach. There is usually a low risk of spread to other organs.
- Gastrointestinal stromal tumor is a rare type of tumor and presents with small symptoms on the interstitial cells of Cajal in the stomach wall. In fact, some of the tumors seen at this point may not be cancerous but may be benign. These tumors, also called GISTs, can occur in any part of the digestive system but are usually located in the inner part of the stomach.
- Apart from these general types, there are other different types of stomach cancer such as squamous cell carcinoma, leiomyosarcoma and squamous cell carcinoma, which have a similar structure to adenocarcinoma.
How is Stomach Cancer Diagnosed?
It is very difficult to diagnose stomach cancer in the initial stages of the disease. At this point, a physical examination is first performed to determine whether there is an abnormal situation. For this determination, a blood test is performed to detect the presence of Helicobacter Pylori bacteria.
Diagnostic methods also include endoscopy of the gastrointestinal tract, also known as gastroscopy. As part of the examination, a thin tube with a small camera is inserted through the throat and into the stomach. In this examination performed under the supervision of a doctor, after examining all layers, including the mucous layer of the stomach, tissue samples are taken to examine whether there is any suspicious situation and the most accurate diagnosis is tried to be reached through this process called biopsy.
Although it is difficult to examine early cases with computed tomography in terms of other diagnostic methods, results can be obtained in advanced cases. In other words, tomography may be preferred after endoscopy followed by biopsy diagnosis. Another diagnostic method, laporoscopy, is useful before surgical intervention. In advanced cancer stages, both computed tomography, ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) methods can be used to determine whether stomach cancer has spread to other organs and formed metastases.
What are the Risk Factors for Stomach Cancer?
Although genetic structure is at the forefront of the encounter with stomach cancer in the human body, there are both environmental factors and some precursor diseases that cause cancer. In many studies, it has been accepted that stomach cancer is seen incidentally, but familial transmission is found in a patient rate of 10%.
In stomach cancer, Helicobacter pylori, dietary irregularities and hereditary characteristics increase the risk. Sectors such as coal mining, occupations working with asbestos, and the petrochemical sector are in the group of risky sectors.
When some patients have previously undergone surgery or treatments for varying stomach conditions, they may develop gastric cancer in the future as bile and pancreatic secretion may occur above normal levels in the stomach.
Again, one of the most important risk factors is smoking from a young age and not giving up too much can be considered a risk. In addition, excessive alcohol use, being over the age of 50, consuming too much fatty, spicy and spicy foods in the diet, overweight and pernicious anemia pose a risk.
Stomach Cancer Symptoms
Starting from the onset of the disease, an imbalance in the person's diet may occur and weight loss may occur rapidly. Among the symptoms commonly seen in patients with stomach cancer;
- Sudden loss of appetite
- When cancerous tissues are encountered in the upper part of the stomach, difficulty swallowing and a feeling of being stuck
- Feeling of saturation in the esophagus, bloating and frequent belching
- The appearance of cancerous tissues in the lower part of the stomach often causes nausea and vomiting.
Symptoms of Advanced Stomach Cancer
With the cancer reaching advanced stages, the most common symptoms in people are bloody stools and bloody vomiting in case of vomiting.
Stages of Stomach Cancer
After the diagnosis of stomach cancer is made by the physician with the emergence of symptoms, the cancer is divided into certain stages and followed up. In this respect, the severity of the cancer and the choice of treatment modalities, each cancer stage changes the survival rate. Briefly mentioned;
- At stage 0, abnormal cells can be seen in the stomach of a patient with cancer.
- At level 1 at home, tumors have appeared in the muscle tissues that make up the stomach and in the nearby lymph nodes.
- At stage 2, the cancer has started to progress outside the stomach.
- At stage 3, the cancer may have spread to at least 7 or more lymph nodes outside the main muscle layer of the stomach.
- At stage 4, the cancer has reached many organs outside the stomach, metastasized and reached the highest level.
Stomach Cancer Treatments
Like the treatment methods applied in all cancers, stomach cancer is treated with methods such as surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. In order to prevent patients from undergoing a long process with methods such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy, the surgical method is preferred first if deemed appropriate.
In terms of surgical method in stomach cancer, in patients up to the first 3 stages, improvement can be achieved through palliative surgery by removing part or all of the stomach and cleaning the lymph nodes. As mentioned earlier, early detection of cancer is important. The price of stomach cancer surgery may vary according to some points in order to perform surgery in patients. Variations can be seen especially according to the institution and the practicing physicians.
For the treatment of stomach cancer, chemotherapy is usually used to treat tumors that are too large to be removed surgically in the later stages. In this way, after the tumor size is reduced, recovery can be achieved through surgical intervention. Radiotherapy is also routinely preferred in the treatment, but is chosen to shrink the tumor and, in very advanced stages, to improve the patient's quality of life.
In the treatment of stomach cancer, targeted drug therapy has been used in medicine with a new generation in recent years. These drugs target tumor cells and are likely to accelerate recovery. A different method, immunotherapy, can also be used to treat cancer cells by aiming to stimulate immune cells to attack cancer cells.
Nutrition After Gastric Cancer Surgery
Regulation of nutrition after surgery for gastric cancer is a very important point. After gastrectomy surgery, a feeling of satiety is observed much earlier and more frequently. In this case, problems may arise because the person is not fed enough calories. This is because food passes through the esophagus directly into the intestine and nutrition is incomplete because the stomach has no storage space.
The patient should eat frequently at short intervals and prefer small portions to avoid calorie deficiency in the diet after stomach cancer surgery. Since iron and vitamin B12, which are absorbed in the stomach, will be deficient, it may be preferable to take these vitamins and minerals by injection.
