13 Nov, 2024
13 Nov, 2024
This article is medically reviewed by Dr Siddharth Jain, Consultant – Surgical Oncology, HCG Cancer Centre, Indore.
Stomach Cancer Awareness Month is observed during the month of November every year. It is a month to promote greater awareness about stomach or gastric cancer, its signs and symptoms, and risk factors.
Stomach cancer is one of the most common gastrointestinal cancers.
Stomach cancer is usually diagnosed in the later stages because the early manifestations, such as indigestion, nausea, and weight loss, overlap with those of multiple less serious conditions. This causes stomach cancer patients to ignore these symptoms until very advanced stages.
Awareness campaigns spread information to the public about the signs and recommend proper consultation. Survival rates and overall disease prognosis improve significantly.
Raising stomach cancer awareness may also be a way of encouraging people to adopt a healthy lifestyle, involving the consumption of healthy foods, regular exercise, limited intake of alcohol, and abstinence from tobacco. It aids the public in taking the necessary preventive measures, early detection, and proper disease control.
Stomach cancer, or stomach carcinoma, is the uncontrolled growth of stomach cells that develop into a tumor. This cancer usually forms in the innermost stomach lining, the mucosa. Although the exact cause of the disease is not known, risk factors for stomach cancer include chronic inflammation, H. pylori infection, smoking, and a diet rich in salty, smoked foods.
With time, these risk factors contribute to DNA mutations in the stomach cells, which will cause them to divide uncontrollably and form a mass. Untreated stomach cancer spreads to other organs through the blood and lymphatic system to distant organs.
Depending on the cell type that it arises from, the following are the different types of stomach cancer:
1. Adenocarcinomas: MMost stomach cancers are adenocarcinomas. This cancer originates from the gland cells that are present in the innermost stomach lining. The two types of stomach adenocarcinomas are intestinal type and diffuse type.
2. Neuroendocrine Tumors: These tumors develop in the neuroendocrine cells of the stomach. These are slow-growing tumors and have low potential to spread to other organs.
3. Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors: These tumors develop in the interstitial cells of Cajal and have the potential to spread to other organs. They may develop in any part of the digestive tract, but more commonly in the stomach.
4. Lymphomas: This cancer develops in the lymphocytes, a type of immune cell. Although lymphoma usually initiates in other parts of the body, it may also occur in the stomach wall.
5. Miscellaneous:Other types of stomach cancer include small cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and leiomyosarcomas.
Multiple modifiable and non-modifiable factors increase one’s risk of developing stomach cancer. The following are the different stomach cancer risk factors:
Some of the stomach cancer early symptoms are:
It is important to determine whether the symptoms persist or if they occur only sometimes. In most cases, occasional indigestion or a bloated stomach is not a cause for concern. However, persistent symptoms or increased severity may be indicative of serious conditions, such as stomach cancer.
There are other symptoms to watch out for, such as persistent indigestion, weight loss without any apparent cause, persistent nausea, vomiting, or feeling pain in the throat when swallowing. Another red flag includes persistent abdomen pain or discomfort.
Unlike occasional discomfort, which usually resolves on its own or with over-the-counter treatments, the persistent symptoms may be suggestive of a serious condition.
Moreover, patients should differentiate between short-term distress and chronic symptoms. Early diagnosis of gastric cancer results in a vast difference in the treatment outcome.
You need to see a doctor if you think you have long-term stomach cancer symptoms such as persistent indigestion, bloating, or heartburn that change little with treatment. Some other signs are weight loss without any known cause, difficulty swallowing, persistent nausea or vomiting, and abdominal pains that worsen over time.
Warning symptoms also include vomiting blood or blood in the stools, for which you must seek medical attention. If these symptoms persist for more than a few weeks or worsen, consult a health care provider.
Some of the diagnostic techniques for stomach cancer are:
Screening for stomach cancer starts with assessing medical history and physical examination to detect any symptoms of indigestion, weight loss, or even chronic pain in the abdomen. Once stomach cancer is suspected, the doctor may run specific tests to confirm the diagnosis.
An endoscopy is the most commonly used diagnostic test, in which a thin, flexible tube fitted with a camera is inserted into the mouth to examine the stomach lining for abnormalities. Sometimes tissue samples are also obtained during the procedure to study the presence of cancerous cells.
Other tools include imaging tests like CT scans. A barium swallow X-ray involves a special liquid ingestion that facilitates the stomach's more visible appearance.
If cancer is found, additional tests determine the extent, or stage, of the cancer, which has an important impact on the course of treatment. While screening can be uncomfortable, it also provides critical early detection.
Early diagnosis of stomach cancer provides patients and doctors with the time for appropriate treatment at the initial stage, i.e., before the disease has its chance to progress.
In the early stages, stomach cancer is localized and is not metastasized to other organs. At this stage, therapies such as surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation are much more likely to be curative, and the possibility of a cure increases significantly.
Though the five-year survival rate is well above 70% for early-stage cancers, it reduces as the disease progresses. In advanced stages, the spread of the disease to regional lymph nodes or distant organs complicates the treatment of cancer and reduces long-term survival possibilities.
Not only does such an early diagnosis lead to improved treatment outcomes, but it also provides the patient with an opportunity to opt for less aggressive treatment options, resulting in fewer side effects and a better quality of life for the patient. Early diagnosis of stomach cancer can be achieved through regular screenings and not ignoring persistent symptoms.
Stomach cancer is best managed with personalized treatment approaches, wherein specialists carefully go through multiple factors, such as the type of stomach cancer, its stage and grade, its exact location, the patient’s age and health status, and lastly, the patient’s preferences, before charting out a customized treatment plan.
Personalizing cancer care is crucial for achieving the desired health outcomes for cancer patients.
The different treatment approaches available for stomach cancer management are:
Surgery is often the first line of treatment for stomach cancer. It focuses on the removal of the cancer tissue along with a small portion of healthy tissue called the margin. If lymph nodes are involved, they are also removed. The following are the different surgical approaches available for stomach cancer:
Minimally invasive surgeries are associated with fewer treatment-related complications, shorter hospital stays, and relatively less recovery time.
Radiation therapy is a non-invasive treatment approach wherein high-energy radiation beams are used to target tumors present in the abdominal region. These beams delivered from an external radiation source are going to damage the DNA structure of stomach cancer cells and stop them from growing and dividing further.
Radiation therapy is often combined with other treatments like chemotherapy and surgery.
Chemotherapy is another commonly recommended treatment for stomach cancer. It involves the use of potent anti-cancer drugs to control the growth of cancer cells through various mechanisms. Chemotherapy may be administered before (neo-adjuvant chemotherapy) or after (adjuvant chemotherapy) the surgery.
Targeted therapy is a novel cancer treatment approach wherein specific components present on the surface of cancer cells and specific pathways associated with cancer cells are targeted to control cancer growth.
Immunotherapy is another unique approach that only attacks the cancer cells while leaving the healthy cells intact. Immunotherapy involves collecting the immune cells from the patient’s body, re-engineering them with cancer-fighting abilities, and transfusing them back into the patient’s body.
Immunotherapy is often combined with other treatments, such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy, to improve the overall effectiveness of the treatment.
You can spread information about stomach cancer by disseminating educational materials through social media, organizing events in the community, or participating in awareness campaigns. You may also encourage others to attend screenings and embrace a healthy lifestyle that reduces stomach cancer risk.
You may also help through fundraising. Donate to organizations that fund research for better treatments and support services for patients and their families.
HCG is also organizing multiple stomach cancer initiatives in the month of November. For more information, you may follow our Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube handles.
Stomach Cancer Awareness Month is a month-long celebration to raise awareness of stomach cancer, its symptoms, and the risk factors. These campaigns promote familiarity with stomach cancer so that people may be diagnosed early, thus increasing survival chances.
Stomach cancer patients are not usually diagnosed in the early stages due to vague symptoms such as indigestion and nausea. Early diagnosis encourages informed decision-making and timely treatment. Anyone can make a difference by raising awareness, encouraging people to get screened, and promoting stomach cancer research by contributing money or participating in the community.
November is Gastric Cancer Awareness Month
Gastric Cancer - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf
What Is Stomach Cancer? | Types of Stomach (Gastric) Cancer | American Cancer Society
Dyspnea Management in Early Stage Lung Cancer: A Palliative Perspective - PMC
Role of symptoms in diagnosis and outcome of gastric cancer - PMC
Advances in screening and detection of gastric cancer - PMC
Stomach (Gastric) Cancer Screening - PDQ Cancer Information Summaries - NCBI Bookshelf
The Current State of Diagnosis and Treatment for Early Gastric Cancer
Author Bio : Dr. Siddharth Jain
Consultant - Surgical Oncology
MBBS, MS (General Surgery), DrNB (Surgical Oncology)
Dr. Siddharth Jain is a well-trained cancer surgeon who specializes in the surgical management of various types of cancer, both through open and minimally invasive approaches. He is available for consultation at HCG Cancer Centre, a leading cancer hospital in Indore. He has over 8 years of experience in the field of cancer surgeries, along with expertise in performing emergency and trauma surgeries. His credentials include MBBS and MS (General Surgery) degrees from B. J. Medical College, Ahmedabad, and a DrNB (Surgical Oncology) degree from the Basavatarakam Indo-American Cancer Hospital and Research Institute, Hyderabad. Outside his clinical practice, Dr. Jain is also an avid clinical researcher who has authored several publications in prestigious journals and presented cases and papers at multiple national-level conferences.
To book an appointment with Dr. Siddharth Jain, please click here.
