lifetime of about one generation, become as much at risk of stomach cancer, as well as the indigenous population of the host country. Reducing the incidence of stomach cancer for nearly all of our century can probably be explained largely widespread refrigerators for storing food. In areas of the world where there is still adhere to traditional methods of storing food, stomach cancer is much higher and reaches maximum values in Japan (78 cases per 100,000 population, compared with 10 per 100000 in the U.S.) in Eastern Europe and South America She is also very high.
diet, including plenty of fresh fasits and vegetables rich in fiber, it can have a protective effect and reduce the risk of gastric cancer. Smoked, pickled and salted foods, which are believed to be linked with his appearance, should probably be consumed in moderation.
It is probably some relationship between the levels of nitrate in drinking water and cancer of the stomach, but its development is clearly not related to alcohol consumption.
People with a condition known as pernicious anemia, in which the thinned gastric mucosa and decreased production of acid, as well as the observed deficiency of vitamin B12, are subject to known to be at increased risk of developing the disease. However, data proving the existence of a connection between him and a stomach ulcer, no.
Manifestations
The most common symptom of cancer of the stomach is indigestion. Other symptoms include discomfort or a feeling of heaviness in the upper abdomen after eating, with possible nausea and vomiting: loss of appetite, weight loss and sometimes the presence of blood in the vomit or stool. Many of these symptoms are similar to those observed at a light and very common conditions, such as indigestion, and evenmoresevere symptoms associated with benign gastric ulcer.
vague and nonspecific nature of these symptoms indicates that early diagnosis is difficult to place. As well as in cancer, gastric cancer is likely to be cured if it is detected at an early stage. Unfortunately, however, the tumor may develop in the stomach for some time before there will be some or other symptoms, and people with these symptoms the general practitioner can first assign treatment for indigestion or stomach ulcers, thereby delaying further investigation. This means that in many cases of cancer diagnosed in this location is already at an advanced stage when the likelihood of cure is low.
In Japan, where stomach cancer is common, anyone with even the most mild symptoms immediately sent for examination, so in most cases of stomach cancer can be identified at an early stage, and long-term survival rates are much higher than in Western countries. Conducted in these countries, studies have shown that, thanks to surveys in the event of the first signs of indigestion can identify a large number of cases of gastric cancer. However, this is a serious problem: dyspepsia and peptic ulcer are still the most common causes of these symptoms, so it is hard to determine what further research is needed for indigestion. Nonetheless, any person over the age of 45 years, which is a disorder of an ongoing nature, of course, should consult a physician and be screened to prevent ulcers and to verify the absence of gastric cancer.
Studies
first step is probably a study with barium suspension that constitutes a form of X-ray examination. For this patient suggest to drink a liquid containing barium, which is visible under X-rays. Filling the stomach, barium outlines its contours, and as a result of the stomach is readily apparent on the screen X-ray machine. At the same couch on which the patient lies, we can slightly raise a few places to barium has penetrated every part of the stomach. On the screen you can see all the anomalies of the stomach and almost always determine what education looks benign and which are suspect.
only way to make an accurate diagnosis is to study some of the tissue under a microscope, so amorethorough examination of any suspicious areas should produce a gastroscopy. This procedure involves the introduction of a long flexible tube through the pharynx and esophagus into the stomach. Through the tube the doctor can examine its internal space. It is possible to make pictures and take samples of cells (biopsy) for histological examination.
Before performing this procedure, patients are usually given a sedative, and the posterior pharyngeal wall is treated with an aerosol anesthetic to prevent discomfort and vomiting during the introduction of the tube.
If you can definitely talk about cancer, is usually performed CT scan to determine whether the affected local lymph glands and liver, and the surgeon could determine whether operable tumor. Another way to study the stomach, liver and lymph glands is an ultrasound scan which can take the place of CT scanning for the surgeon the same information.
TREATMENT:
Surgery
Surgery is the most common and effective way to cure stomach cancer. Usually you can remove only a portion of the stomach (partial gastrectomy). As a asle, both were removed and the local lymph nodes. If a partial gastrectomy can not produce a complete gastrectomy, ie removed the entire stomach, together with the lower part of the esophagus and spleen. In this case connects the esophagus directly to the small intestine.
If patients removed the entire stomach and part of it, after healing scars they usually recommend eating several times a day, small portions and often because they have a feeling of fullness occurs very quickly. For the same reason it is probably better to take drink away from other foods. Most people need some time to get through trial and error to select them for convenient power supply circuit and suitable food. However, it is very important to maintain adequate diet, as many patients with gastric cancer is strongly lose weight, and for the recovery they need to regain body weight to normal levels. They may need, at least initially, to introduce additional nutrients into the diet drinks, they can get the recipe or purchased at a pharmacy. Before you leave the hospital nutritionist to give them advice on diet.
Individuals who underwent gastrectomy, is likely to be observed failure of the chemical substance known as intrinsic factor produced in the stomach and is of great importance for the absorption of vitamin B12. Therefore, such patients are usually once every three months injected with the vitamin to prevent its failure.
Chemotherapy
Even if the tumor and local lymph glands removed surgically, there is some likelihood of spread of cancer cells and the formation of metastases, which are too small to see them on the scans, but can cause cancer recurrence in the future. The risk increases if the affected lymph nodes themselves. Studies in Japan showed that the chemotherapy to prevent cancer recurrence in the presence of its high-risk (adjuvant chemotherapy) leads to increased survival rates. However, in studies conducted in Western countries, this increase was not recorded, therefore, adjuvant chemotherapy is currently still is experimental.
also conducted pilot studies whose aim - to establish whether it is possible to reduce the size of the tumor by chemotherapy before surgery, facilitating, thus, its removal during the operation. Persons with advanced disease who have been sprouting cancer cells to other parts of the body can be subjected to chemotherapy to reduce the cancerous lesion and contain its growth for some time, although recovery in this case is not yet possible.
Most chemotherapy involves the use of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), sometimes in combination with other dasgs such as cisplatin and adriamycin. Side effects can include nausea and vomiting (which can be successfully controlled with antiemetic dasgs new generation), diarrhea, stomatitis and hair loss (with adriamycin).
Radiotherapy
Radiotherapy for stomach cancer are not widely used, because due to irradiation may be damaged other organs adjacent to the stomach. If the disease is at an advanced stage and is accompanied by agonizing or painful symptoms, radiotherapy can give a very good effect in terms of relief.
Forecast
If gastric cancer is diagnosed at an early stage, the prospects for cure by surgery rather good (50%). However, about 80-90% of cases of gastric cancer identified only at advanced stages when the disease process involved lymph glands and other organs, and in such cases, the survival rates ofmorethan 5 years are below.
Thus, although the actual number of patients with gastric cancer has decreased and continues to decline, a clear need to research in three areas: improvement of diagnosis of the disease, improving the efficiency of adjuvant chemotherapy and further improvement of methods of containment of the disease and prolong life.
RARE TUMORS OF THE STOMACH:
LMS
Leiomyosarcoma is a tumor of smooth muscle of the stomach and vary widely in the degree of proliferation of cancer cells. They accounted for less than 1% of all cases of gastric cancer. In most cases, treatment is surgical methods and provides for removal of the tumor. Also resorted to chemotherapy, but its role is still the subject of experimental studies.
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
These tumors are characterized by similar responses to treatment. The share of gastric lymphoma accounts for less than 1% of all cancers of this location.
first-line treatment usually involves surgical removal of the stomach followed by chemotherapy. A rare subtype of these tumors, known as associates with the mucous membrane of T-cell lymphoma (Astle), at an early stage in some cases is treatable with antibiotics applied in the presence of infection by the bacterium Helicobacter.