Stomach Cancer Treatment in Delhi, India
Overview
Stomach cancer occurs in the stomach due to the abnormal growth of cells. It is also known as gastric cancer. It can occur in any part of the stomach.
Most commonly, it occurs in the body of the stomach, which is its main part. It can also occur at the junction where the stomach meets with the oesophagus (food pipe). The position of the stomach cancer determines the cancer treatment plan.
Associated Anatomy
It is associated with the stomach.
Alternate Name of Stomach Cancer
Stomach cancer is also called gastric cancer.
Stomach Cancer Causes
The exact cause of stomach cancer is not known. But, many factors are associated with the increased risk for stomach cancer. Studies have shown that stomach cancer occurs when there are changes in the DNA of the cells in the stomach. These DNA changes make the cells grow quickly and replace the normal cells. This increased growth replaces the normal tissue. The cells can break off and even spread to other parts of the body by metastasizing.
Stomach Cancer Symptoms
Sometimes stomach cancer does not have any symptoms at the early stages of the disease. Some of the most common signs and symptoms of stomach cancer include.
- Nausea and vomiting
- Indigestion
- Stomach pain
- Pain in the chest area while swallowing
- Difficulty eating
- Loss of appetite
- Bloating and flatulence
- Weight Loss
- Fatigue and tiredness
- Vomiting of blood in rare or advanced cases
Stomach Cancer Diagnosis
Some of the other conditions that can be similar to stomach cancer symptoms are
- Acute gastritis
- Chronic gastritis
- Esophageal cancer
- Peptic ulcer disease
- Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
- Viral stomach infections
Typical Test
Some of the tests that are performed to establish the diagnosis of stomach cancer are
- Upper Endoscopy: which helps in seeing the esophagus (food tube) and stomach
- Biopsy: Stomach tissue biopsy is done to confirm the diagnosis and to check how the cells are growing.
- Testing Biopsy Samples: Testing them for proteins, gene changes, certain chemical substances, etc
- Imaging - Imaging tests like CT, MRI, X-Ray, etc., are done sometimes to check for stomach changes and damage or PET CT whole body.
Stomach Cancer Stages
The staging of Stomach cancer is based on where the cancer cells are located and whether they are spread to other parts of the body.
- Stage 0: It is the beginning stage of cancer. It has the potential to be cancer (Precancerous).
- Stage 1 to 3: 1 to 3 is defined by the size of the tumor and the layers of the stomach involved and surrounding lymph nodes.
- Stage 4: It is when cancer spreads to other parts of the body is called metastatic cancer.
Stomach Cancer Treatment Options
Gastric Cancer Treatment depends on the cancer that has spread and its stages. It includes surgery, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, supportive therapy, palliative care, and each type of treatment options for stomach cancer plays a crucial role in managing.
Stomach Cancer Surgery
The parts that contain cancer cells are removed surgically. Some of the healthy tissue is also removed. Surgery depends on the extent of cancer and may be distal/subtotal gastrectomy or total gastrectomy. It can be done with open or minimally invasive surgery i.e Laparoscopic or Robotic.
Radiation Therapy to Treat Stomach Cancer
In radiation therapy use high-energy rays to destroy cancer cells.
Chemotherapy for Stomach Cancer
Chemotherapy is a drug treatment that kills cancer cells.
Immunotherapy for Stomach Cancer
Boosting the immune system, which helps in attacking cancer cells.
Targeted Therapy to Treat Stomach Cancer
These medicines target specific functions of the stomach cancer cells and prevent them from growing.
Supportive Therapy
At late stages of cancer manage pain and cause comfort.
Risk Factors of Stomach Cancer
The most common risk of stomach cancer include
- Eating food that is high in salt and food that is smoked
- People who are overweight or obese
- Gastrointestinal reflux disease - causes acid reflux which results in cancer.
- Hereditary - it is more common if you have a family member with stomach cancer.
- Infection of H pylori bacteria
- A diet low in fruits, vegetables, and fiber Smoking
- Stomach polyps - extra growth of stomach tissue
Stomach Cancer Prevention
Primary Prevention
The primary preventative therapies that help to control the cancer are anti-H. pylori treatments and prevent the infection Screening for early detection of stomach cancer in patients with high risk and persistent symptoms, family history of stomach cancer, etc Avoid eating smoked food. Regular checkups by the doctor.
Secondary Prevention
Secondary prevention of stomach cancer may include
- Avoid smoking
- Avoid eating food with high salt and low fiber
- Losing excess weight
- Eating food high in fruits and vegetables
Possible Complication of Stomach Cancer
Possible complications related to stomach cancer are two-fold. If the cancer is not treated, this leads to many complications such as stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, weight loss, difficulty swallowing, bleeding during vomiting, etc. Cancer can spread to other parts of the liver, which causes conditions like jaundice (yellowing of eyes and skin), fluid retention in the stomach, fever, fatigue, etc.
Choose the best stomach cancer hospital in Delhi with a world renowned cancer care team to treat cancer. If the cancer is treated, complications include making lifestyle changes, eating smaller meals, eating more frequently, changes in bowel habits, etc.
Epidemiology of Gastric Cancer
Stomach cancer is one of the most common cancers in India. It is also one of the most common cancers that lead to death. The incidence of stomach cancer in India is lower compared to other southeast Asian countries.
The incidence of this cancer is high in people who smoke and consume alcohol. Stomach cancer is also more common in males compared to females. The most common site for stomach cancer is the body of the stomach and the pylorus of the stomach. H. pylori infection is also commonly associated with stomach cancer.
Expected Prognosis of Gastric Cancer
The prognosis of stomach cancer depends on the stage and spread. For the people who were diagnosed earlier and the cancer is at its early stages, the survival rate is around 70%. For those who were diagnosed at the last stages, and there is a regional spread of cancer, the survival rate is around 32%. Once the cancer is spread to a distant area, the survival rate is just 6%.
Natural Progression of Gastric Cancer
The natural progression of stomach cancer, if it is not treated, will spread to more parts of the stomach. Later it will spread to other local areas besides the stomach. The cancer cells can later spread to other distant areas of the body.
Pathophysiology
Stomach cancer occurs as a result of the proliferation of cells in the stomach. Stomach cancer can be two types of cancer:
- The intestinal type and diffuse type.
- The intestinal type is due to an inflammatory process that progresses from chronic gastritis to atrophic gastritis and finally leads to stomach cancer.