Being Alert to Stomach Cancer

Did You Know? About 6 of every 10 people diagnosed with stomach cancer each year are 65 or older

It is Estimated that Nearly 15% of U.S. Stomach Cancer Cases Could be Prevented by Changing Lifestyle Choices

Stomach Cancer Occurs Almost Twice as Much in Males than Females

While stomach cancer rates slowly decline in the U.S. it is still important to be familiar with the disease. Stomach cancer can easily go undiagnosed for extended periods of time due to the common symptoms being prevalent in individuals without cancer. Always consider the possibility of symptoms being signs of something more serious.         

Please use this guide as a resource for knowledge and understanding of stomach cancer causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment.  

01│Causes

Stomach Cancer is generally caused by a mutation within a cell’s DNA. This mutation causes the cell to grow at an accelerated rate causing tumors to invade the body. These tumors can spread throughout the body if gone untreated or are advanced cancer cells. There is strong evidence that suggests diets high in salt and processed foods contribute to stomach cancer. There are also risk factors such as those patients with GERD, who smoke and have stomach polyps.  

02│Symptoms

Stomach cancer symptoms are very similar to many other illnesses and can be considered common in everyday life. The important thing is to notice long-term symptoms that do not get better with time. Some symptoms are:

• Fatigue
• Feeling Bloated After Eating
• Severe and Persistent Heartburn
• Unexplained and Persistent Nausea
• Stomach pain
• Persistent Vomiting
• Unintentional Weight Loss

03│Diagnosis

Because so many symptoms related to stomach cancer can be related to other things, it is important to get a clear diagnosis. In order to get confirmation of stomach cancer several tests can be performed: 

• Upper Endoscopy – A small camera is passed through the throat and esophagus into the stomach and captures images and video. If necessary a biopsy of suspicious tissue can be taken.
• Imaging Tests – Various imaging can be performed to look for tumors and abnormal masses. CT scans and special X-ray exams using barium are options.

04│Treatment

Options vary from patient to patient based on medical needs. Treatment options are reliant on the severity and the stage of the disease. Overall health of the patient must be taken to account for post treatment healing. Treatment options include:

• Surgery
• Radiation Therapy
• Chemotherapy
• Targeted Drugs

For more information about stomach cancer and other cancerous conditions, please visit: http://www.cancer.org/

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References

https://www.cancer.org/cancer/stomach-cancer/about/key-statistics.html 

https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/stomach.html