Stomach cancer occurs when cells in the stomach’s lining become cancerous. It is also called gastric cancer. It grows slowly over many years. People who develop stomach cancer are usually in their late 60s to 80s.
Table Of Contents
- What are the types of Stomach Cancer?
- What are the causes of Stomach Cancer?
- What are the symptoms of Stomach Cancer?
- How is Stomach Cancer diagnosed and treated?
What are the types of Stomach Cancer?
Cancer in the stomach is classified by the type of tissue where it starts.
Adenocarcinomas– This is the most common type of cancer that starts in the glandular lining of the stomach. The glandular tissue lining in the stomach is the site of most stomach cancers (95%). This can also spread to other organs.
Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) – NETs arise in cells in the stomach or digestive tract that act like nerve cells in some ways. It grows slowly, and some can spread quickly.
Lymphomas- This type of cancer starts in the immune system, called lymphocytes.
Sarcomas- This is a rare type of cancer affecting soft tissues like muscle, fat, or blood vessels.
What are the causes of Stomach Cancer?
Though the exact cause is little known, there are various risk factors known to cause stomach cancer
- Infection with a common bacterium, H. Pylori, causes stomach ulcers
- Long-lasting anemia called pernicious anemia
- Inflammation in the gut called gastritis
- Family history of gastric cancer
- Regular Smoking and consumption of alcohol
What are the symptoms of Stomach Cancer?
Symptoms in the early stage of stomach cancer are rare, and they aren’t detected until they have grown large or have spread outside the stomach. When cancer occurs, the signs or symptoms include poor appetite, abdominal pain, nausea followed by vomit with or without blood, blood in stool, and jaundice when cancer spreads to the liver.
How is Stomach Cancer diagnosed and treated?
Doctors diagnose Stomach Cancer by using a variety of imaging tests to determine how far it has spread and how well the treatment is working. Upper endoscopy (EDG) is also done where a thin, lighted tube with a small camera is inserted through the mouth into the stomach. If any abnormal tissues are found, a small piece of the tissue is removed and is analyzed in the lab under a microscope for signs of cancer. This is also called a biopsy. The doctor’s suggestion of the treatment depends on how long the disease has been or how much it has spread in the body, called the stages of cancer.
Stage 0 – At this stage, an unhealthy group of cells forms on the inside of the stomach, which could lead to cancer. This condition is usually cured through surgery. During the surgery, the doctor might remove a part or some layer of the stomach wall and nearby lymph nodes — small, germ-fighting organs in the body.
Stage I – In this stage, the tumor in the stomach’s wall may have spread into lymph nodes. Doctors might go in for surgery as in stage 0. Treatment may also include chemotherapy, where drugs are used, or chemoradiation, where high- energy beams of radiation like X-rays or protons are used to shrink the tumors and kill any cancer that is left out. These treatments are done before the surgery.
Stage II – In this stage, the cancer is spread into deeper layers of the stomach and maybe into the nearby lymph nodes. Surgery, as in the above stages, remains the primary treatment. Chemotherapy and chemoradiation are likely to be given both before and after the surgery.
Stage III- Cancer may be in all the layers of the stomach and other organs nearby, like the spleen or colon, and deep into the lymph nodes. Surgery along with chemotherapy and chemoradiation can sometimes cure it or at least help with the symptoms of the patient’s body can handle it.
Stage IV- The last stage of cancer has the potential to spread to various organs, including the liver, lungs, and brain. The doctor can help manage symptoms with targeted therapy and immunotherapy, but it is much harder to treat.
