Symptoms of stomach cancer in women and men, treatment
Gastric cancer is a malignant tumor from the epithelial cells of the gastric mucosa. In terms of prevalence, it is among the "ten" most common cancers. Treatment of stomach cancer in the early stages helps to extend the life expectancy of patients.
Types, classification of stomach cancer
The disease can be characterized by various signs.
Classification of stomach cancer according to appearance
The following forms of pathology are distinguished:
- polypoid cancer is a solitary tumor without ulcers;
- carcinoma with partial ulcers - the tumor grows into the deep layers of the stomach;
- diffuse-infiltrative cancer (another name is skirr) - significant deep growth of the stomach wall is observed;
- ulcerative carcinoma (or "cancer-ulcer" - a tumor in the form of a saucer with ulcers). Manifestations of stomach cancer in patients with this form are similar to the symptoms of an ulcer.
Carcinoma and scirr are especially aggressive.
Classification of stomach cancer by localization
Stomach cancer happens:
- antral and pyloric sections (closer to the exit from the stomach);
- small curvature;
- cardia (transition of the stomach into the esophagus);
- front and back stomach wall.
Diagnosis of stomach cancer in men and women of different localization does not differ.
Classification of stomach cancer according to the TNM system
The following points of classification are distinguished:
- Tx – the tumor could not be evaluated;
- T0 – no data;
- Tis is a tumor in the mucous layer without deep spread;
- T1 – the tumor grows into the mucous and submucosal layers of the stomach wall;
- T2 – growth of cancer into the muscle layer;
- T3 – germination of cancer into the serous membrane;
- T4 – the tumor spreads to nearby organs;
- Nx – lymph nodes cannot be evaluated;
- N0 – metastases in the lymph nodes are absent;
- N1, N2, N3, N3a, N3b – metastases are observed in 1-2, 3-6, 7, 7-15, 16 and more lymph nodes, respectively;
- M0 – there are no distant metastases;
- M1 – there are distant metastases.
Read more details about the consequences of stomach cancer with different lesions (for example, how many people live with stage 4 stomach cancer with metastases) on our website https://dobrobut.com/.
Causes of the disease
The direct causes of stomach cancer are still unknown.
Identified factors that contribute to the development of this disease:
- stomach ulcer disease;
- smoking (especially in malicious smokers);
- nutrition disorders;
- uncontrolled medication intake;
- poor environmental conditions;
- lack of ascorbic acid;
- stomach polyps (degenerate into cancer);
- genetic predisposition.
Manifestations of stomach cancer
Symptoms of pathology are:
- early;
- late.
Early signs
Early ones include the following signs:
- pains under the spoon;
- nausea and vomiting;
- aversion to meat dishes;
- sensation of stomach fullness;
- appetite deterioration;
- decrease in body weight.
The expression of symptoms of stomach cancer in women and men depends on the stage of its development.
Late signs
Late signs of stomach cancer include:
- bleeding (as the tumor disintegrates). Manifested by tarry feces and vomiting in the form of "coffee grounds";
- pronounced weight loss up to asthenia;
- when sprouting in the pancreas - girdling pains, in the large intestine - rumbling in the stomach and its distension, in the diaphragm - "heart" pains, and so on.
Complications
Between the first symptoms of stomach cancer and signs of complications can pass from several months to several years. Possible complications:
- germination into neighboring organs;
- when the tumor disintegrates – the formation of a defect in the stomach wall and the development of peritonitis (inflammation of the peritoneum due to the entry of stomach contents into it);
- gastrointestinal bleeding - when a blood vessel is "eaten" by cancer;
- metastasis is the transfer of tumor cells with the flow of blood or lymph to other organs and tissues.
Diagnosis of stomach cancer in men and women
A number of instrumental and laboratory methods are used to diagnose stomach cancer.
Instrumental diagnostic methods
The following methods are the most informative:
- gastroscopy - a gastroscope (a type of endoscope - a flexible probe with built-in optics) is inserted into the stomach and examined for the presence of a tumor. During gastroscopy, a biopsy is performed - pinching off fragments of tissue in suspicious areas of the stomach wall, followed by examination under a microscope;
- contrast radiography - the patient takes barium sulfate, then an X-ray is taken, which, based on barium sulfate contrast, helps to detect the tumor, assess the relief and changes in the motility (movement) of the stomach wall;
- laparoscopy - through an incision in the abdominal wall, a laparoscope is inserted into it and the outer surface of the stomach is studied.
Laboratory diagnostic methods
Informative in the diagnosis of stomach cancer are the following laboratory methods:
- general blood test - ESR increases, with bleeding, the number of erythrocytes and hemoglobin decreases;
- detection of tumor markers - specific compounds that appear in the blood during the development of a malignant tumor;
- microscopic study of biopsy.
Treatment
The only method of getting rid of stomach cancer is surgical treatment. Chemotherapy for stomach cancer complements surgery. The scope of the operation depends on the degree of damage, the advanced stage of the disease and the presence of complications.
Types of operation:
- gastrectomy – complete removal of the stomach;
- resection of the stomach - removal of its part.
At the same time, the ovaries, lymph nodes, the tail of the pancreas, a segment of the colon and so on are removed - depending on which organs the stomach cancer has grown into.
A side effect of surgical treatment is that the digestion process is disturbed in the body.
The prognosis after gastrectomy depends on the extent of its resection, complications and neglect.
Prevention
There is no specific prevention of stomach cancer. The following will help to reduce the risk of its occurrence: giving up bad habits, rational balanced nutrition, professional examinations by a gastroenterologist even in the absence of complaints.
Related services:
Chemotherapy course
Consultation of an oncologist
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