Stomach is the first part of the gastro-intestinal tract where the food stays for some time and gets broken down and digested. If the food contains any substance that is carcinogenic, the stomach is the first part to be affected.
Cause(s)
The cause is not known. Heavy alcohol drinkers suffer from it more. It occurs in the older age-group of people between 50-70 years. Its incidence is highest in Japan.
Symptoms
Symptoms of stomach cancer are very vague to begin with. These are:
· Diminished appetite
· Loss of weight
· Discomfort and pain in the abdomen Vomit containing blood
· Many a time, the only symptom is diminished appetite and not being well.
Diagnosis
· Routine: Blood: TLC and DLC may be normal.
· Hb may be low.
· ESR is raised.
· Stool examination may show occult blood in it.
Special: Barium meal may show a filling defect at the site of the cancer growth.
Gastroscopy may indicate the cancer tissue in the wall of the stomach, which can be seen directly by the eye applied to the endoscope introduced inside the stomach.
Gastric biopsy is taken with the help of the forceps of the endoscope, and processed and examined under the microscope. It clinches the diagnosis.
Treatment
Many a time, cancer of the stomach is diagnosed at such a late stage that anything that is done is of no help to the patient.
Surgery: Surgery is sometimes undertaken to remove the obstruction, and thus to provide relief to the patient for some time.
If detected early, removal of the involved part and also a large part of the surrounding organ plus all the locally draining lymph glands, (radical gastrectomy) is done, with some degree of success.
After recovery, the patient should take small meals at a time, though more number of times. The food should be well balanced, nutritious and contain very little fibrous part.
Since stomach wall forms vitamin B12, removal of a large part of the stomach, creates its deficiency, so that the patient needs to take it regularly.
Radiation: Radiation therapy is not effective for stomach cancer. However, if the cancer has spread into the surrounding and nearby areas and organs, radiation may provide some relief from pain.
Chemotherapy: A combination of 5-Fluorouracil Adriamycin or Mitomycin is effective, to an extent. 20 to 25 per cent of the patients respond to this line of treatment, but the survival is not much prolonged.
In case of a small local tumour detected early, surgery along with chemotherapy with 5-Fluorouracil is helpful without causing much of side-effects.
Early Detection
Signs & Symptoms
· Diminished appetite.
· Loss of weight.
· Discomfort or pain in the abdomen.
· Vomit containing blood.
Investigations
· Barium meal may show up the cancer.
· Endoscopy (Gastroscopy) shows the lesion directly.
· Biopsy taken through endoscopy and its examination reveals the diagnosis.