A Simple Guide to Stomach Cancer

A Simple Guide to Stomach Cancer
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What is Stomach Cancer?
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Stomach cancer (also called “gastric cancer”) is the growth of abnormal cells in the lining and wall of the stomach which mutates and proliferates giving rise to the stomach cancer .
Stomach Cancer can spread to the surrounding organs like liver,pancreas and colon.
Once in the blood stream it can spread to the brain, bones and kidneys.

Who is at risk of getting Stomach Cancer?
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1. Chronic Helicobacter pylori bacteria infection. This bacteria is found in the stomach and has been found to cause gastric ulcers and stomach cancer.

2. family history of stomach cancer

3. frequent consumption of preserved or smoked food such as salted vegetables,fish,meat. Cancer causing nitrosamines are released when these food are cooked.

4.previous stomach surgery with partial removal of stomach (gastric ulcers or polyps)

5. Pernicious anaemia- a rare blood disorder affecting the red blood cells

6. Smoking

7. Men are affected more than women

8. Age above 50 years of age

9.People with blood group A has a higher incidence

What are the symptoms of Stomach Cancer?
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In the early stages, stomach cancer may have no symptoms.

As it spread it can cause the following symptoms:

1.Indigestion, stomach discomfort or heartburn

2.A fullness feeling or bloating after eating a small meal

3. loss of appetite

4.Nausea or belching

5. Feeling tired

When the cancer is larger, it can cause the following symptoms:

1.Stomach pain

2.Vomiting

3.Blood in your stool or black tarry stools

4.Unexplained weight loss

5.pallour due to anaemia from loss of blood

Many of these symptoms can be caused by other conditions besides cancer.
So the earlier stomach cancer is found, the better are the chances of it being cured.

How do you diagnose Stomach Cancer?
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1.medical history and complete physical exam.

2.Abdominal X-ray for any other condition in the abdomen causing pain or swelling in the abdomen

3.Gastroscopy:
a thin, lighted tube is put into your mouth and passed down to your stomach.

4.Biopsy:
During gastrocopy, a small piece of your suspicious stomach tissue is taken to check for cancer cells. This is called a biopsy sample which is then examined under a microscope for cancer cells.

How is stomach cancer treated?
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Treatment for stomach cancer may include surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy, or a combination of these treatments. The choice of treatment depends on whether the cancer is just in the stomach or if it has spread to other places in the body. A person’s age and overall health will also affect the choice of treatment.

Surgery
Surgery is still the best form of treatment for stomach cancer.
For smaller cancers -partial removal of the stomach is done.
In early stages cure rate is about 90%.
For later stages of cancer, the whole stomach including the spleen and surrounding tissues may be removed.

Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is used in conjunction with surgery in later stges of cancer.

Radiotherapy:
Radiation can help to kill the cancer cells surrounding the stomach cancer as well as to relieve pain.

Can I prevent stomach cancer?
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There is no way to prevent stomach cancer.
However, you can help reduce your risk of getting stomach cancer by:
Living a healthy lifestyle

Not drinking a lot of alcohol or smoking.

Avoid preserved food

Treat H.pyrori infections of the stomach early.

Eat a diet high in fresh fruits and vegetables, and vitamin C.
Vitamin C is found in foods such as oranges, grapefruit and broccoli.

AS IN ALL CANCERS, EARLY DETECTION IS THE BEST CURE!!

A Simple Guide to Gastritis

A Simple Guide to Gastritis
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What is Gastritis?
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Gastritis is a disease which is caused by inflammation of the stomach lining.
It may presents as gastritis ,peptic gastric ulcer or if it extends to the duodenum(first part of small intestine) duodenal ulcers.

What are the causes of Gastritis?
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Two main causes are

1.helicobacter pylori infection - this bacteria damages the protective lining of the stomach making the underlying stomach tissue more vulnerable to the acidic gastric juice.

2.excessive production of acidic gastric juice
Excessive production of acidic gastric juice burns into the protective lining of the stomach and cause inflammation of the underlying stomach tissue.
The causes of excessive production of acidic gastric juice are:
1. Most common is stress and anxiety which automatically increase the production of the acid as a result of sympathetic nervous reaction
2.hereditary- some gastric patient has family history of gastric problem. Blood group O tends to have more gastritis while Blood group A has a tendency towards stomach cancer.
3.irregular meals tend to cause more acidic gastric juice to form at regular meal time.
4.alcohol and smoking has been associated with increased acid formation
5.Drugs: prolonged use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin or ibuprofen,
6. diseases, such as pernicious anemia, autoimmune disorders, and chronic bile reflux, can cause gastritis as well.

What are the Symptoms of Gastritis?
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The most common symptoms are
1.upper abdominal upset or pain.
Other symptoms are
2.belching, abdominal bloating,
3.nausea, and vomiting
4.indigestion or of burning in the upper abdomen or in the chest(heart burn).
5.Blood in your vomit or black stools may be a sign of bleeding in the stomach, which may indicate a serious problem requiring immediate medical attention.

How do you diagnose Gastritis?
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Gastritis is diagnosed through one or more medical tests:
Medical history - past and family history of gastritis
Physical examination- epigastric bloating or tenderness
Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy.
The doctor eases an gastroscope, a thin tube containing a tiny camera, through your mouth and down into your stomach to look at the stomach lining. The doctor will check for inflammation and may remove a tiny sample of tissue for tests(biopsy).
The biopsy will detect how bad is the inflammation or whether there are underlying cancer cells. In additional if any polyps (benign swelling of the lining of the stomach) are detected, they are removed at the same time and sent for biopsy.
Blood test. The doctor may check your blood for any evidence of H.pylori infection and your red blood cell count to see whether you have anemia, which means that you do not have enough red blood cells. Anemia can be caused by bleeding from the stomach.
Urea breath test can also determine whether you have H.pylori infection
Stool test. This test checks for the presence of blood in your stool, a sign of bleeding. Stool test may also be used to detect the presence of H. pylori in the digestive tract.

What is the Treatment of Gastritis?
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The main treatment is usually
1.reduce stress
2.reorganisation of work in such a way as to be able to handle the pressure of work better as well as to have regular meals
3.Control of diet - avoid hard foods such as peanuts , tough meat, spicy food, cold food, black coffee, strong tea,citrus fruits and their juices,carbonated beverages, deep fried or oily food.
4. Take more frequent and smaller meals.
5. Avoid alcohol and smoking
6. Avoid drugs such as aspirin, painkillers,steroids which may irritate your stomach and cause increase in acid production
Medical treatment:
Treatment usually involves taking drugs
1.Antacids:to reduce stomach acid and thereby help relieve symptoms and promote healing. (Stomach acid irritates the inflamed tissue in the stomach.)
2.H2 Antagonist: to reduce to production of acidic gastric juice.(cimetidine, ranididine,omeprazole, Nexium etc)
3. Antispasmodics: anticholinergic drugs like buscopan, librax reduce the spasm in the stomach and duodenum
4. Antiflatulents - to reduce gas in the abdomen
5.If your gastritis is caused by an infection, that problem may be treated as well. For example, the doctor might prescribe antibiotics to clear up H. pylori infection.

Once the underlying problem disappears, the gastritis usually does too.
Talk to your doctor before stopping any medicine or starting any gastritis treatment on your own.
What are the Complications of untreated Gastritis?
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Any untreated gastritis can cause complications such as:
1. peptic ulcers
2. bleeding ulcers
3.perforated stomach and peritonitis

Gastritis or ulcer is not healed overnight. The chances of satisfactory gastric recovery are excellent. However recurrences are always possible so do not stop your medications, good food habits and healthy lifestyle too soon.