What is stomach cancer?
Stomach cancer, also called gastric cancer, is the abnormal growth
of cells of the inner lining of the stomach.
How does it occur?
Several conditions may increase the risk of stomach cancer, such
as:
- infection of the stomach with bacteria called Helicobacter
pylori (H. pylori)
- chronic gastritis (inflammation of the stomach)
- being male or older than 60
- a diet high in salted, smoked, or poorly preserved foods and
low in fruits and vegetables
- a mother, father, sister, or brother who has had stomach
cancer
- pernicious anemia, which is a low count of red blood cells
caused by a lack of vitamin-B12.
- previous surgery to remove the end of the stomach for peptic
ulcer disease.
What are the symptoms?
People who have stomach cancer have very few symptoms until late
in the disease. Some possible symptoms of stomach cancer are:
- heartburn or indigestion
- stomach pain
- nausea or vomiting
- a sense of fullness after eating small amounts of food
- loss of appetite
- unexpected weight loss.
How is it diagnosed?
Stomach cancer is hard to find in its early stages because it
causes few or no symptoms. Your healthcare provider will ask about
your symptoms and examine you. A sample of a bowel movement may be
tested for blood.
Other tests may include an upper GI X-ray, for which you swallow
barium. The barium coats the stomach lining and makes the stomach
easier to see on X-ray film. You will also have a procedure called
an endoscopy, where a slim, flexible, lighted tube is passed
through your mouth and down into your stomach. This tube, called
an endoscope, allows your healthcare provider to look in the
stomach for abnormal areas. Your provider uses the scope to take a
piece of abnormal tissue for lab tests. This is called a biopsy.
More tests are:
- blood tests
- CT scan of the abdomen, chest, and pelvis.
How is it treated?
The treatment depends on how far along the cancer is and if it has
spread. Treatment may include:
- surgery to remove part or all of the stomach
- chemotherapy to kill the cancer cells with drugs
- radiation therapy to kill cancer cells in the stomach.
If the tumor is blocking the opening to the stomach but the cancer
cannot be completely removed with standard surgery, chemotherapy,
or radiation therapy, the following procedures may be used:
- placement of a thin, expandable tube (called a stent) from the
esophagus to the stomach to keep the opening to the stomach
from closing
- placement of a tube in the stomach or middle of the small
bowel (jejunum) so you can be given (called a feeding
jejunostomy)
- endoscopic laser surgery, which uses an endoscope and laser to
remove the blockage by the tumor
- electrocautery, which uses an electrical current to create
heat and remove tissue or control bleeding.
How long will the effects last?
The cancer may be curable if it is caught early and has not spread
through the stomach lining. The cancer is usually not curable if
it has spread beyond the stomach lining. Ask your healthcare
provider what you can expect with the stage of cancer that you
have.
How can I take care of myself?
- Follow the full course of treatment prescribed by your
healthcare provider.
- Get a diet plan from a dietitian so you can have a healthy
diet even if there are some foods you cannot eat.
- Get plenty of rest.
- Ask your provider to recommend appropriate exercise and
activities.
- Join a cancer support group.
- Be open with your family and your healthcare providers about
your concerns.
- Find a counselor to help you deal with difficult issues.
- Spend time with people and do activities you like.
For more information, contact:
How can I help prevent stomach cancer?
Follow the treatment prescribed by your healthcare provider if you
have been diagnosed with pernicious anemia, gastritis, or H.
pylori.
This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to
change as new health information becomes available. The
information is intended to inform and educate and is not a
replacement for medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or
treatment by a healthcare professional.
© 2009 RelayHealth and/or its affiliates. All Rights Reserved.