Stomach Cancer (Gastric)

Gastric cancer | Stomach tumor

Gastric carcinoma | Adenocarcinoma stomach

Ca stomach or Stomach cancer is also known as ‘Gastric cancer’. Like other diseases, it is crucial that it gets identified in the early stages and gets treated before it reaches the incurable stage. Bile duct cancer or esophageal cancer is different from stomach cancer. Gastrointestinal cancer involves intestines along with stomach.

Risk factors of stomach cancer

Stomach cancer causes

Certain things make stomach cancer more likely to happen.

Certain diseases and conditions, such as:

• lymphoma (a group of blood cancers)
• H. pylori bacterial infections (a common stomach infection that can sometimes lead to ulcers)
• Stomach polyps (abnormal growths of tissue that form on the lining of the stomach)

Stomach cancer is also more common among:

• older adults, usually people 50 years and older
• men
• smokers
• people with a family history of the disease

Certain lifestyle factors can also play a role. You may be more likely to get stomach cancer if you:

• eat a lot of salty or processed foods
• eat too much meat
• have a history of alcohol abuse
• don’t exercise
• don’t store or cook food properly

Stomach cancer symptoms | Gastric cancer symptoms

Signs of stomach cancer | Abdominal cancer symptoms

Early symptoms of stomach cancer include indigestion, loss of appetite, slight nausea, heartburn and the feeling of being bloated after a meal. Stomach cancer symptoms female may look similar to gall stones as later is more frequent in females.

However, indigestion and heartburn, doesn’t always mean that you have stomach cancer, but if these conditions persist, you should visit a doctor to rule out the possibility of stomach cancer. Stomach tumor symptoms may appear late, depending upon size of stomach tumor.

Other important symptoms of Stomach cancer, such as:

• Unexplained gastric symptoms
• Stomach pain
• Heartburn
• Blood in your stool
• A sensation of feeling full during meal
• Weakness or exhaustion
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea and constipation
• Weight loss for no apparent reason
• Swelling in your stomach
• Trouble in swallowing
• Eyes and skin turn yellowish

Stomach Cancer diagnosis

In addition to physical exam to check for any abnormalities, doctors may also order a blood test, including a test for the presence of H. pyloribacteria.

More diagnostic tests will need to be done if your doctor believes that you show signs of stomach cancer. Diagnostic tests specifically look for suspected tumors and other abnormalities in the stomach and esophagus. These tests may include:

An upper gastrointestinal endoscopy

A biopsy

Imaging tests, such as CT scans and X-rays

Cancer treatment

Stomach Cancer treatment

Is stomach cancer curable

The treatment of stomach cancer will depend on the stage of cancer and the overall health of the patient. There are several treatments available to treat, not cure, stomach cancer.

Cancer Surgery

Surgery involves removal of part or entire stomach along with the surrounding lymph nodes.

In subtotal gastronomy, a part of the stomach is surgically removed, whereas, in total gastronomy, the whole stomach is removed. Patient is able to eat normally, though smaller quantities than before.

Surgery is the main treatment in cancer.

Radiation Therapy

This, however, is not commonly used to treat stomach cancer as there is a chance of harming the adjacent organs.

Chemotherapy

This treatment uses drugs to stop the fast division and multiplication of the cancerous cells and shrink the tumor. The drugs for chemotherapy are known as cytotoxic medicines, and they travel through the whole body to attack the particular affected area.

These are just a few, there are many more treatments that have brought results in treating and controlling stomach cancer,

Stomach cancer stages

Advanced (Stage 4) Stomach cancer

Stage 4 cancer means that your cancer is advanced and has spread to body organs further away from the stomach, such as the lungs, brain or bones. Stomach cancer survival rate depends upon pain free aggressive cancer treatment and high protein cancer diet.

As the tumor grows more prominent symptoms starts to appear. Tumor symptoms include a staggering condition of dysphagia and extreme indigestion along with unexpected weight loss, continuous sickly feeling or anemic.

Symptoms like accumulation of fluid inside stomach, black and bloodied stool, fatigue also constitutes to an advanced stage of stomach cancer.

You should know that treatment for pain is part of cancer treatment. It is important to resist the big myth that because cancer is a serious disease, pain is to be expected. Most people can get complete relief for their pain — or at least significant relief that allows them to enjoy the activities of daily life.

What is advanced or metastatic stomach cancer

Advanced carcinoma stomach cancer includes stage 3 and stage 4 and terminal cancer. Stage 3 includes when cancer spreads to other tissues in and around the ovary and / or lymph nodes. Stage 4 includes metastasis.

Metastasis happens when cancer cells break away from a primary tumor and enter the bloodstream or lymphatic system (the system that produces stores and carries the cells that fight infections). When cancer cells spread and form a new tumour in a different organ, the new tumor is a metastatic tumor, the cells of which come from the original tumor. The most common sites of metastasis from ovary cancer tumors are the liver, lungs, bones and brain. Cancer can spread to other parts of the body, too.

Some people with metastatic cancer do not have symptoms. Their metastases may be found by tests, which may be performed for other reasons such as PET, MRI or CT scan. When symptoms do occur, the type and frequency depend on the size and location of the metastasis. For example, cancer that spreads to the bones is likely to cause pain and can lead to bone fractures. Shortness of breath may be a sign of lung involvement.

Liver metastasis

If they do have symptoms, they may be vague and can include:

• Loss of appetite or feeling full early
• Fatigue
• Fever
• Itching
• Pain in the abdomen
• Swelling in the legs
• Weight loss
• Yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes, called jaundice

Lung metastasis

Because the lungs get blood flow from the rest of the body, cancer can travel there from other organs. Cancer that has spread to the lungs often affects breathing.

Symptoms include:

• A cough that doesn’t go away
• Chest pain
• Blood in the mucus
• Trouble breathing
• Weight loss

Bone metastasis

When cancer travels to the bones, it can weaken them and cause them to release stored calcium. Symptoms include:

• Bone pain
• Constipation, nausea, and loss of appetite from high calcium levels in the blood
• Broken bones
• Numbness or weakness in the legs and possibly the arms
• Pain in the back or neck

Are you suffering from pain?

Any cancer has only 4 treatments. Surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and pain relief treatment / pain management – Cancer information.

What is the stage of cancer? Stage decides the treatment. All advanced cancers cannot be treated by chemotherapy and / or radiation therapy. Chemotherapy / radiation therapy may not benefit in stage 4 cancer. Recent research tells that unnecessary chemotherapy may reduce quality & life span too. Pain is the most common problem in stage 3 or 4. Please remember Pain definitely can be controlled or treated at any stage of cancer. Even if you are taking ayurvedic treatment for cancer or homeopathic treatment, it will not help in pain relief – You must take pain management treatment for complete cure for cancer.

Pain relief is important for continuing any treatment. Pain relief needs dedicated pain management treatment usually offered by Pain specialist doctors. In addition to best cancer specialist in India, ACCN is proud to have best pain management specialist doctor in Delhi and in India. Pain management and cancer treatment goes side by side. Demand a pain free cancer treatment from your oncologist or cancer specialist doctor.

One must always remember that in stage 3 / stage 4 / terminal cancer – palliative care and pain relief treatment is usually the priority treatment so that pain relief continues at home too.  Pain free journey of cancer ie pain free cancer treatment helps in prolongation of life.

Advanced-Cancer Care Network, Delhi, India, with its branches (contact) at Delhi and Rohtak (Haryana) is a unique conglomeration of super-specialist doctors, who believe in well-being of human life and one of the internationally renowned cancer treatment centers in India.  ACCN is the best cancer hospital for stage 3 cancer, stage 4 cancer, advanced stage cancer, terminal cancer, Cancer pain management and palliative care. It offers the unique and state-of-the-art treatment for pain relief and cancer treatment in India.

Click on Pain relief in stomach Cancer to know the best pain management methods at home for stomach cancer.

#wincancerpain

Palliative care

Palliative care or cancer care is designed to give symptomatic relief to the patient, control the side-effects of illness or treatment and improve quality of life of cancer patients. Palliative care treatment is provided by a medical specialist, other than oncosurgeon or oncologist. This medical specialist is known as “Pain & Palliative Care Specialist”. India has very limited number of such specialists and if you are also not able to find one for yourself, please contact ACCN (Advanced – Cancer Care Network), we are proud to have India”s best and most qualified Pain Specialists and Palliative Care Specialists.

Click on Understanding palliative care to know the palliative care treatment for stage 3 cancer or stage 4 cancer or advanced stage cervical cancer. Read about cancer and palliation.

Role of Palliative Care Treatment

It is usually said that role of palliative care starts, when cancer becomes incurable or advanced stage or terminal or at end-of-life. It is one of the biggest myths in cancer treatment protocols. Palliative care specialist must be consulted and involved in the cancer treatment right from the first day when cancer is diagnosed and treatment is started. Initially when cancer is at stage 1 or 2, complete focus is on cancer cure and palliative care has minimal but very important role. As the cancer (if) progresses, gradually role of palliative care also enlarges. In stage 3 or stage 4. role of palliative care becomes much more important than other regular cancer treatments.

Click on How we can help to know about our various services for advanced cancer patients.

Click on Symptom control to understand that how we can provide suffering free life to advanced cancer patient.

Benefits of Palliative Care

• Makes patient feel better and stay active during treatment
• Manages side-effects of cancer treatment
• Facilitates as high a quality of life as possible
• Helps cancer treatments do a better job
• Can be curative as well as life-supporting treatment
• Cancer diet planning
• Improves survival outcomes
• Increases immunity levels
• Improves communication between patient and family members
• Maintains hope and stick to principals of ethics