This is a fatal disease but can be contained, to,some extent, if detected at the initial stage. Sometimes even the patient also neglects this disease because symptoms are not that glaring or disturbing but, when the actual malady is detected at later stage, it is too difficult to cure.
Children rarely suffer from stomach cancer and so do ladies but exceptions are still there.
Causes : Hot drinks, foods, hard fibre and injuries, too much use of alcohol, tobacco, drug addiction, irregular food habits, tension are some of the predisposing factors. Chronic state of peptic ulcers may also lead to cancer.
Symptoms : These are insidious in their development. It was previously thought that absence of HCL/Hydrochloric acid results in cancer, whereas excess of HCL surfaces in the form of ulcer. It is a fact that in the majority of cancerous cases there is no HCL. Prominent symptoms can be found together in one patient, but may be absent in majority of the cases.
– Marked acidity and indigestion
– Fetid breath, flatulency
– Sensations could be either sharp or dull, burning, gnawing, lancinating, sticking
– Tenderness when touch or pressure applied over the painful region.
– Vomiting – If cancer is at the cardiac end of stomach, vomiting comes soon after, but if the at the pylorus (opening of stomach mouth into the intestines), vomiting comes several hours after taking food.
– Marked anaemia and general emaciation
– slow action of the heart, feeble pulse and rapid respira- tion
– Earthy or waxy colour of he skin Edema of ankles
– Pain radiates from stomach towards back or behind the shoulders.
Treatment: Operation is the only option left, but chances of full recovery are not very encouraging. Anyway, one has to take a chance of operation, when no other option is left.