Stomach cancer is a malignant tumor that can affect any part of the stomach. It starts from the mucus-producing cells that line the inner wall of the stomach, and as the disease stage progresses, the tumor penetrates the layers of the stomach deeper and may extend to the esophagus. In this article, learn about the symptoms, causes, and methods of treatment in Turkey.
The stomach is part of the digestive system and is a muscular sac located after the esophagus on the left side of the body, just below the ribs. Stomach cancer, or gastric cancer, is the third most common cancer globally after lung cancer and colon cancer, and due to the uncharacteristic symptoms, its diagnosis may be delayed until advanced stages, making it the second cancer that causes death after lung cancer.
What is stomach cancer?
In stomach cancer, cancer cells usually start growing from the inner lining of the stomach walls and then penetrate deeper into the stomach walls as the cancer progresses. The tumor can grow to include nearby organs such as the liver and pancreas.
Stomach cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide. The number of cases has declined over the past few decades due to the widespread use of refrigeration, which has increased the availability of fresh foods without preservatives or bacterial contamination.
The most common type of this cancer is adenocarcinoma, which affects the lining of the stomach.
What are the causes of stomach cancer?
The leading cause of stomach cancer is a genetic mutation in stomach cells, which causes them to increase and form a tumor. Risk factors that can increase a person’s chance of developing stomach cancer include:
- Family history
- Smoking: Smoking does not only cause lung diseases, as is commonly believed; studies show that smoking contributes to a 44% increased risk of stomach cancer.
- Obesity disease
- Helicobacter pylori infection
- High-salt diet
- Not eating enough fruits and vegetables
What are the symptoms of stomach cancer?
Symptoms include:
- Vomiting and persistent nausea and vomiting.
- Difficulty swallowing
- Heartburn
- loss of appetite
- weight loss
- Feeling tired
- Flatulence and indigestion
- Black feces
- Abdominal pain
- Bloody vomiting (in advanced stages)
How is stomach cancer diagnosed in Turkey?
Several different tests can be used to diagnose this cancer.
Radiologic tests such as computed tomography (CT), barium swallow, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) help diagnose the presence and size of the mass in most cases.
At an early stage, before the mass is large enough to show up on radiological tests, upper gastrointestinal endoscopy is used to take a biopsy (sample) of tumor tissue as a means of making a diagnosis or for early detection of cancer. In this test, a thin tube with a tiny camera is inserted through the mouth into the stomach, and several biopsies are taken.
To see how far the tumor has invaded the gastric wall and to help assess the “stage” of the cancer and determine the TNM, your doctor will order an endoscopic ultrasound, which is performed with a particular type of endoscope equipped with an ultrasound probe. The scope is placed in the stomach through the mouth.
How is stomach cancer treated in Turkey?
There are several ways to treat stomach cancer. If diagnosed early, when the cancer is limited to the surface layer of the stomach, a gastroenterologist can perform a gastroscopy to remove it. In this procedure, the tumor mass is isolated from the rest of the stomach wall and removed.
Once stomach cancer has invaded the surface layer, surgery will be needed to remove the stomach and connect the esophagus (the tube through which food passes) to the small intestine for digestion.
Radiation therapy and chemotherapy are also used to kill cancer cells. Surgery is usually combined with these two treatments.
There are also many effective medications to fight this cancer. It depends on the severity of the tumor, and the doctor decides after diagnosis.
What is the survival rate for people with stomach cancer?
This percentage generally depends on the stage of the cancer. People in the early stage of this cancer have a greater chance of survival than those in an advanced stage:
- If stomach cancer is found in its early stages, where it can be removed laparoscopically, the five-year survival rate is higher than 90 percent.
- If the cancer is diagnosed after it has spread to the areas surrounding the stomach, the five-year survival rate is 28 percent.
- If it spreads to organs other than those surrounding the stomach, the five-year survival rate is 4 percent.
Always remember that the term survival rate refers to the percentage of survival. So, if the 5-year survival rate is 90%, 90% of the patients will survive the next 5 years, and 10% will die. Of course, this does not mean they will only live for five years.
Can stomach cancer be prevented?
Yes, and it can be prevented through the following practices:
- The best way to prevent this cancer is to eat a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables and low in salt and red meat.
- Maintain a healthy weight and exercise.
- Avoid smoking, as it increases the risk of stomach, lung, bladder, and many other cancers.
Read about Gastric sleeve in Turkey.
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