Gastric Cancer : Symptoms, Causes, and diagnostic

Gastric cancer is a type of cancer that eats the stomach, which is a pocket-shaped digestive organ in the middle of the human abdominal cavity. This disease can be experienced by people of all ages, although most sufferers are 55 years old and above.

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The most common type of gastric cancer is adenocarcinoma, which is a condition when cancer attacks cells in the inner lining of the stomach that produce fluid such as mucus (mucus). In addition to adenocarcinoma, there are also several other types of gastric cancer, although it is rarely found in people with this disease. Among these types:

Gastro intestinal stromal tumor (GIST), which is a cancer that attacks the connective tissue or muscles of the abdominal wall.
Gastric Lymphoma, a cancer that attacks lymphatic tissue or tissue that helps fight infection.
Carcinoid , a cancer that attacks hormone-producing cells in the stomach.

Symptoms of gastric cancer

Here are some symptoms that can be felt by patients with gastric cancer at an early stage:

Bloating and belching often
The stomach feels heartburn or pain
Pain in the sternum
Get full quickly when eating
Nausea
Gag
Hard to swallow food
Indigestion that often recurs
Feel tired.

Some symptoms of gastric cancer at a more severe stage are:

Vomiting blood
Anemia
Jaundice
Loss of appetite
Black stools or blood in the stool
The body feels tired
Weight loss
Swelling of the abdomen due to fluid buildup

Symptoms of gastric cancer in the early stages are usually difficult to recognize because it is almost the same as other stomach problems, such as stomach ulcers. Therefore a doctor's examination is needed to confirm the diagnosis. Immediately consult yourself if you feel the symptoms above.

Causes of gastric cancer

The cause of gastric cancer is still not known with certainty. But in general, cancer occurs when cells in certain parts of the stomach develop uncontrollably. As a result of this overgrowth, the cells that used to have normal properties to help the body function properly became accumulated into tumors. If left without treatment, the tumor can spread to other parts of the body through the lymphatic system.
Some factors that can increase a person's risk of developing gastric cancer are:

Smoke. Hazardous substances contained in cigarette smoke can be inhaled and can damage cells in the stomach wall. Therefore a smoker will have twice the risk of gastric cancer than those who do not smoke.
Food. Eat too much smoked meat, salt, salted fish, pickles, and foods that contain aflatoxin (a poison from mushrooms). This condition is exacerbated by the lack of consuming fruits and vegetables.
55 years and older and male. The risk of getting gastric cancer in men is twice that of women.
Pylori bacterial infection. This bacterium is a cause of gastric diseases such as digestive disorders, stomach ulcers, and inflammation of the stomach lining.
Suffering from gastric infections for a long time.
Suffering from pernicious anemia. This condition occurs when a person is deficient in vitamin B12.
Suffering from conditions that cause polyps to appear in the stomach.
Have close relatives with stomach cancer.
Have had surgery on the stomach.
Suffering from other types of cancer. Patients with lymphoma or white blood cancer, esophageal cancer or esophageal cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, cervical cancer, and lung cancer have a higher risk of developing gastric cancer.

Stages of development of gastric cancer

There are four stages that determine the severity of gastric cancer, including:

Stage 1. Cancer is in the tissue in the stomach and spreads to the surrounding lymph nodes.
Stage 2. Cancer grows in the muscle layer of the stomach wall and spreads more and more to the lymph nodes .
Stage 3. All stomach linings have been encroached on by cancer or many small cancerous growths that spread widely to the lymph nodes.
Stage 4. The spread of gastric cancer at this stage is getting worse and reaching distant organs.

Determination of the severity of gastric cancer can be done through diagnosis. This is useful in helping doctors to provide appropriate treatment.

Diagnosis of gastric cancer

To find out if a patient has gastric cancer, the doctor will first ask about the symptoms he feels. In addition, the doctor will also ask whether the patient has a certain condition that can increase the risk of gastric cancer or whether he has a close family with colon cancer .

After the patient's explanation is obtained, the doctor can do a simple examination by checking the patient's stomach to see the swelling around the stomach.
To determine whether a person has stomach cancer, the doctor will conduct further examinations, such as:

Fecal examination for the presence of blood.
Blood test.
Endoscopy. This examination is done by inserting a small, special instrument such as a hose into the stomach through the esophagus. Devices equipped with this camera can help doctors see cancer. Through endoscopic examination, doctors can also take samples of gastric tissue (biopsy) to be examined in the laboratory.
X-ray. In the case of gastric cancer, X-ray checking will be combined with a liquid containing barium substances. Substances that must be swallowed by this patient will help X-rays produce images on the monitor. For 6 hours before performing this examination procedure, the patient is not allowed to eat food or drink, and the examination usually lasts for 15 minutes. Side effects that may be felt by patients after doing this examination are nausea and constipation.
CT scan. This examination can help doctors know how far the cancer is developing, whether the cancer is only found in the stomach or has spread to other organs. Scans that use X-ray circuits and computer help can produce detailed body images.
Laparoscopic surgery. This inspection procedure is done by inserting a camera device called a laparoscope through a small incision made by the doctor in the lower abdomen. Of course in this procedure the patient must be sedated first. Laparoscopic surgery aims to see the stomach state in more detail. Through this examination, the doctor can find out whether stomach cancer has spread, especially to the peritoneum or lining of the abdominal cavity.
Ultrasound. This examination using ultrasound waves aims to see if stomach cancer has attacked the liver.

Treatment of gastric cancer

The treatment method used in cases of gastric cancer depends on the severity of the disease and the patient's general health condition. It is estimated that around 20 to 30 percent of gastric cancer patients can be treated until healed. The following are the three main types of treatment in cases of colon cancer.

Radiotherapy

The purpose of radiotherapy is to kill cancer cells. In radiotherapy, the treatment method is carried out using radiation energy. Usually radiotherapy methods are applied in cases of high-grade gastric cancer with symptoms of bleeding.

Before surgery, radiotherapy can be done to reduce the size of the stomach tumor so that it is more easily removed. While radiotherapy is carried out afterwards aims to kill cancer cells that may still remain, while preventing cancer from developing again.

Even so, there are some side effects of using radiotherapy which must also be considered, including:

Irritation or blackish color on the skin around the treated area.
Diarrhea.
Tired.
Nausea.
Gag.
Indigestion.

Radiotherapy must be done regularly every week. In one week, there are usually five treatment sessions for five days and each session lasts for several minutes. The time limit for radiotherapy treatment depends on the purpose and severity. For example, to relieve symptoms in cases of high-grade gastric cancer generally lasts up to two weeks. While to prevent cancer from coming back, it generally lasts up to five weeks.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is a treatment to kill cancer cells through the administration of a number of drugs. Examples are cytotoxic drugs (cytotoxic) which can stop the spread of cancer cells. Chemotherapy drugs can take the form of tablets, infusions, or a combination of both.

In gastric cancer, chemotherapy performed before surgery usually aims to shrink the tumor. While chemotherapy done after surgery aims to prevent cancer recurrence. For advanced gastric cancer that cannot be operated on, chemotherapy can help inhibit the development of cancer and relieve perceived symptoms.

Just like radiotherapy, the time for chemotherapy is divided into several sessions. There are those that only last for three weeks or several months with a constant dose of certain doses.
Some of the side effects of chemotherapy are:

Nausea.
Gag.
Diarrhea.
Changes to the skin, such as being red, swollen, and tingling on the palms or feet.
The body feels tired.
Anemia.
Weight loss.
Hair loss.
Nerve damage.

Usually these side effects will disappear after chemotherapy treatment ends. Side effects of chemotherapy in each patient with gastric cancer can vary depending on the patient's own reaction to treatment, the number of treatment sessions carried out, and the type of chemotherapy medication given.

The provision of O batteries with Target is certain .

This drug therapy aims to eliminate certain abnormalities in cancer cells. Some examples of drugs that are usually used are:

Imatinib, Sunitinib, and Regorafenib to treat gastric cancer called gastrointestinal stomal tumors .
Trastuzumab to kill gastric cancer cells that produce too much HER2 ( human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 ).
Ramucirumab to treat advanced gastric cancer that does not react to other treatments.

Operation

This type of gastric cancer treatment surgery depends on the severity of the spread of the cancer itself. For example, if a diagnosed cancer is still in its early stages and only develops in the stomach wall, a procedure called endoscopic resection can be performed.

Through this procedure the doctor does not need to dissect the patient and simply insert the endoscope into the stomach through the mouth and esophagus. With special equipment equipped with this camera, doctors can remove cancer from the stomach lining and leave tissue that is still healthy.

Operating procedures that are still included in the treatment of low-grade gastric cancer are partial gastrectomy. However, in this procedure, the doctor will perform surgery on the stomach of the patient to remove the stomach part that is infected with cancer. Partial gastrectomy is usually done if the cancer is still in the lower stomach and has not spread to the middle and upper part.

Further than partial gastrectomy is total gastrectomy. This procedure is performed if the cancer has spread to the middle and upper stomach. In this case the doctor will be forced to lift the entire stomach of the patient and directly connect the small intestine with the tip of the esophagus.

Removal of the lymph nodes which is thought to have been gnawed by cancer will also be carried out. This procedure is also useful to prevent cancer from recurring.
In addition, cancer can also spread more widely from the stomach until it is not possible to do surgery again. If this happens and the gastrointestinal tract becomes obstructed, the doctor will offer several options, namely the installation of a tube that leads directly to the stomach, bypass surgery that connects the channel from the stomach to the small intestine, and partial or total gastrectomy to remove blockages and relieve the symptoms.

Operating risk

Just like other methods of treating gastric cancer, surgery can also cause risk. Some of them are:

Bleeding.
Indigestion.
Infection.

In cases of gastric cancer that cannot be cured, treatment is usually only focused on making the patient as comfortable as possible by reducing the symptoms he feels.

Prevention of gastric cancer

To avoid stomach cancer, do the following healthy steps.

Do not smoke.
Applying a healthy diet, for example by eating fresh foods rich in fiber and vitamins. Avoid salty and processed foods.
Maintain weight.
If you take aspirin or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, talk to your doctor to find out the effect on the stomach.

The chances of getting well are gastric cancer patients

The chance of recovering from gastric cancer depends on several factors, such as the patient's general health condition, the patient's age, and how high the severity or how far the gastric cancer has spread when first diagnosed.
Because the symptoms of gastric cancer are almost the same as some other stomach problems, then generally the patient is not aware until the stomach cancer is at a high stage when diagnosed. According to research, as many as fifteen percent of patients with gastric cancer can still live at least five years after diagnosis and about eleven percent who are diagnosed can still live at least the next ten years.