/13other Early Signs To Look For
Apart from the skin condition, first signs of gastric cancer include poor appetite, sudden weight loss, abdominal pain and discomfort or swelling in the abdomen. Other signs of the disease include heartburn, indigestion, nausea and vomiting, which could be with or without blood. You may also feel full too soon after eating only a small amount of food. Low hemoglobin can also be a sign of stomach cancer.
Diagnosis Of Stomach Cancer
If your doctor thinks you may have stomach cancer, you will be referred for further tests. The main test is an endoscopy . The doctor will use a thin, flexible tube with a camera , which passes into the mouth, down the throat and oesophagus into the stomach in order to look at the digestive tract.
If any suspicious-looking areas are detected, a small amount of tissue from the stomach lining may be removed and examined under a microscope. Less commonly used is an endoscopic ultrasound where the endoscope has an ultrasound probe at the end.
What Are Stomach Cancer Treatments
Many treatments can fight stomach cancer. The one you and your doctor choose will depend on how long you’ve had the disease or how much it has spread in your body, called the stage of your cancer:
Stage 0. This is when the inside lining of your stomach has a group of unhealthy cells that may turn into cancer. Surgery usually cures it. Your doctor may remove part or all of your stomach, as well as nearby lymph nodes — small organs that are part of your body’s germ-fighting system.
Stage I. At this point, you have a tumor in your stomach’s lining, and it may have spread into your lymph nodes. As with stage 0, you’ll likely have surgery to remove part or all of your stomach and nearby lymph nodes. You might also get chemotherapy or chemoradiation. These treatments can be used before surgery to shrink the tumor and afterward to kill any cancer that’s left.
Chemotherapy uses drugs to attack cancer cells. Chemoradiation is chemo plus radiation therapy, which destroys cancer cells with beams of high energy.
Stage II. Cancer has spread into deeper layers of the stomach and maybe into nearby lymph nodes. Surgery to remove part or all of your stomach, as well as nearby lymph nodes, is still the main treatment. You’re very likely to get chemo or chemoradiation beforehand, and you might get one of them after, too.
You usually have surgery to remove your entire stomach, along with chemo or chemoradiation. This can sometimes cure it. If not, it can at least help with symptoms.
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Cancer May Spread From Where It Began To Other Parts Of The Body
When cancer spreads to another part of the body, it is called metastasis. Cancer cells break away from where they began and travel through the lymph system or blood.
- Lymph system. The cancer gets into the lymph system, travels through the lymph vessels, and forms a tumor in another part of the body.
- Blood. The cancer gets into the blood, travels through the blood vessels, and forms a tumor in another part of the body.
The metastatic tumor is the same type of cancer as the primary tumor. For example, if gastric cancer spreads to the liver, the cancer cells in the liver are actually gastric cancer cells. The disease is metastatic gastric cancer, not liver cancer.
How Is It Diagnosed
Since people with stomach cancer rarely show symptoms in the early stages, the disease is often not diagnosed until its more advanced.
Diagnosing stomach cancer involves receiving a physical exam to check for any abnormalities. A doctor may also look for possible bleeding in the stomach by using a test to check for blood in your stool along with a blood test to look for anemia.
More diagnostic tests for stomach cancer may need to be done if your doctor believes you show signs of the disease. Diagnostic tests specifically look for suspected tumors and other abnormalities in the stomach and esophagus. These tests may include:
- an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy
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You’re Getting Full Way Sooner Than Usual While Eating
This is actually a sign of later-stage stomach cancer, but its worth noting. Early satiety happens when your stomach muscles can no longer push food through the intestines properly, says Ocean. The stomach becomes distended and people feel stuffed, but in reality its just that the food isnt going anywhere.
This full-too-soon feeling can be caused by a tumor, but can also be caused by a non-cancerous condition called gastroparesis, which happens when a person has the sensation that something is obstructing their stomach, but medical scans don’t show anything.
Signs That Warrant An Immediate Trip To A Doctor
Some common cancer signs that should result in a visit to the emergency room or to a doctor as soon as possible include:
- coughing up mucus tinged with blood
- blood in stools or urine
- lump in the breast, testicles, under the arm, or anywhere that it didnt exist before
- unexplained but noticeable weight loss
- severe unexplained pain in the head, neck, chest, abdomen, or pelvis
These and other signs and symptoms will be evaluated. Screenings, such as blood and urine tests and imaging tests, will be used if your doctor thinks its appropriate.
These tests are done both to help make a diagnosis as well as rule out various causes of your signs and symptoms.
When seeing a doctor, be prepared to share the following information:
- your personal medical history, including all symptoms you have experienced, as well as when they began
- family history of cancer or other chronic conditions
- list of all medications and supplements you take
For some cancers that are screened for on a regular basis, survival rates tend to be high. Thats because theyre often diagnosed early on, before symptoms develop.
The 5-year survival rate for people with localized
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Living With Advanced Cancer
Advanced cancer usually means cancer that is unlikely to be cured. Some people can live for many months or years with advanced cancer. During this time palliative care services can help.
Most people continue to have treatment for advanced cancer as part of palliative care, as it helps manage the cancer and improve their day-to-day lives. Many people think that palliative care is for people who are dying but palliative care is for any stage of advanced cancer. There are doctors, nurses and other people who specialise in palliative care.
Treatment may include chemotherapy, radiation therapy or another type of treatment. It can help in these ways:
- Slow down how fast the cancer is growing.
- Shrink the cancer.
- Help you to live more comfortably by managing symptoms, like pain.
Treatment depends on:
- How far it has spread.
- Your general health.
What Are The Symptoms Of Stomach Cancer
The symptoms of stomach cancer vary from person to person. In early stages, you may have mild or no symptoms. The most common symptoms include:
- Blood in your bowel movements
- You dont feel like eating
- Losing weight without trying
- Feeling weak and tired
Stomach cancer thats more advanced can block your stomach or intestines. This can cause vomiting that doesnt go away. Stomach cancer can also spread to your liver. If this happens, it can cause yellowing of your skin and the white part of your eyes or fluid buildup in your belly .
Many of these may be caused by other health problems. So it’s important to see a healthcare provider if you have these symptoms. Only a healthcare provider can tell if you have cancer.
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How To Tell If Your Symptoms Are Serious
Most of the time, these symptoms are caused by something else, but its best to get them checked out, so if you do need treatment, you can get it as soon as possible.
If you experience nausea, bloating, weight loss and lack of appetite, Dr. Joyce recommends you see your doctor for testing.
Other factors can increase your risk of developing stomach cancer, too, like:
- Helicobacter pylori infection.
- A diet high in smoked foods, salted fish and cured meats.
- A family history.
This Is Not Fonda’s First Time Fighting Cancer
Fonda’s lymphoma diagnosis may have come as a shock to fans, but the star is no stranger to cancer. She’s undergone cancer treatments several times in the past, including a mastectomy for breast cancer and the removal of several cancerous skin lesions.
The star says her history of cancer only makes her more confident that she’ll once again make a full recovery. She shared in a blog update that having “come through very well” in the past, she believes she “will do so again.”
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What Are Symptoms Of Gastric Cancer
Stomach cancer may not cause any symptoms in its earlier stages. Some symptoms of stomach cancer, such as early satiety , mild belly pain and fatigue are common, and similar tosymptoms of other, less serious conditions.
However, some symptoms are more suggestive of stomach cancer. If you experience any of the following symptoms for more than two weeks, you should see a gastroenterologist:
Other diagnostic procedures include endoscopy with biopsy and endoscopic ultrasound.
Having Another Type Of Cancer
Your risk of developing stomach cancer is increased if you’ve had another type of cancer, such as cancer of the oesophagus or non-Hodgkin lymphoma .
For men, the risk of getting stomach cancer is increased after having prostate cancer, bladder cancer, breast cancer or testicular cancer. For women, the risk of developing stomach cancer increases after having ovarian cancer, breast cancer or cervical cancer.
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/13risk Factors Of Gastric Cancer
The majority of people diagnosed with the condition tend to be over 60 years of age. One of the major risk factors of stomach cancer is your diet. A diet high in salty, smoked and pickled foods and a diet low in fruits and vegetables can increase your risk of developing stomach cancer.
Risk factors for the condition also include a history of persistent stomach irritation or inflammation, previous stomach surgery, or a family history of the disease. Gastroesophageal reflux disease, obesity and smoking can also increase ones chances of gastric cancer.
Symptoms If Cancer Has Spread To The Lungs
You may have any of these symptoms if your cancer has spread into the lungs:
- a cough that doesnt go away
Symptoms if cancer has spread to the lymph nodes
Lymph nodes are part of a system of tubes and glands in the body that filters body fluids and fights infection.
Cancer can spread to:
- close by lymph nodes in the tummy these are called regional lymph nodes
- lymph nodes further away, for example close to your collar bone these are called distant lymph nodes
The symptoms you have depend on which lymph nodes contain cancer. The most common symptom is the lymph node feels hard or swollen. Swollen lymph nodes in the chest can make it difficult to swallow. You might have severe upper abdominal pain that moves into your back if you have cancer in the lymph nodes in the back of your abdomen.
Symptoms if cancer spreads to the tissue lining your abdomen
You might have a swollen tummy if your cancer has spread to the tissue lining your abdomen . The swelling is due to a build up of fluid called ascites. It can make your clothes feel tighter. Your tummy might feel bloated. You might also find it difficult to sit comfortably or to move around.
The swelling caused by the build up of fluid can be uncomfortable. You may have other symptoms such as:
- loss of appetite
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Early Warning Signs Of Stomach Cancer
The first signs of stomach cancer may include:
- Feeling full: Many stomach cancer patients experience a sense of “fullness” in the upper abdomen after eating small meals.
- Heartburn: Indigestion, heartburn or symptoms similar to an ulcer may be signs of a stomach tumor.
- Nausea and vomiting: Some stomach cancer patients have symptoms that include nausea and vomiting. Sometimes, the vomit contains blood.
Other common symptoms of cancers that develop in the stomach may include:
- Unexplained weight loss: Lack of appetite or unexplained weight loss is a common sign of cancer.
- Stomach pain: Abdominal discomfort or pain in the abdomen above the navel may be a symptom of a stomach tumor. Also, swelling or fluid build-up in the abdomen may also be caused by stomach cancer.
Most of the time, stomach cancer isnt the reason for these symptomsthese are common discomforts that may be triggered by conditions such as an ulcer or a stomach virus, or even a heavy meal. Since many early-stage symptoms may easily be ignored or attributed to a more common cause, catching stomach cancer before it advances may be challenging.
Anyone experiencing early-stage stomach cancer symptoms that lack a known cause, or that seem to be worsening is urged to make a doctors appointment. Whether the symptoms are due to stomach cancer or something else, doctors may help identify the problem and treat it properly.
She’s Also More Motivated Than Ever When It Comes To Her Activism Thanks To Her Diagnosis
Fonda is a passionate environmental advocate, and says her most recent diagnosis has further fueled her drive in the fight against climate change. “This diagnosis has only made me more determined than ever to continue to end the deadly effects of fossil fuels,” she wrote. “While most of us know that fossil fuels are the primary cause of the climate crisis, many may not know that fossil fuel emissions also cause cancer as well as other major health problems like birth defects, childhood leukemia, heart attacks, strokes, lung disease and preterm birth. We must find a way to come together to put an end to this deadly correlation.”
“We have it within our power to change this and I intend to do everything in my power to do so. This cancer will not deter me,” Fonda wrote.
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Side Effects Of Stomach Cancer Treatments
All cancer treatments can have side effects. Your treatment team will discuss these with you before you start treatment. Talk to your doctor or nurse about any side effects you are experiencing.
Some side effects can be upsetting and difficult, but there is help if you need it. Call Cancer Council Victoria Tel. or email to speak with a caring cancer nurse for support.
/13what Is The Upper Endoscopy Test
Your doctor may recommend an upper endoscopy test for diagnosis of the disease. Upper endoscopy, also called endoscopic gastroduodenoscopy , helps find most stomach cancers. During this test, a doctor will look inside your esophagus, stomach, and duodenum with a thin, lighted tube called an endoscope to check for abnormal areas. You are sedated during this test.
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Signs Vs Symptoms Of Cancer
Signs and symptoms of disease can be two different things:
- A sign is something that can be observed by another person, such as a change in skin color or wheezing.
- A symptom is something you feel, such as fatigue or pain, that isnt obvious to others.
The nature of cancer signs and symptoms differ greatly, depending on where the cancer is located.
Bladder cancer, for instance, causes blood in the urine, while brain cancer triggers terrible headaches.
How Stomach Cancer Spreads
There are 3 ways stomach cancer can spread:
- directly the cancer can spread from the stomach into nearby tissues and organs, such as the pancreas, colon, small intestine and peritoneum
- through the lymphatic system the lymphatic system is a series of glands located throughout your body, similar to the blood circulatory system the glands produce specialised cells needed by your immune system to fight infection
- through the blood which can cause the cancer to spread from the stomach to other parts of the body, most commonly the liver
Stomach cancer that spreads to another part of the body is known as metastatic stomach cancer.
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How Do You Feel When You Have Stomach Cancer
Feeling full: Many stomach cancer patients experience a sense of fullness in the upper abdomen after eating small meals. Heartburn: Indigestion, heartburn or symptoms similar to an ulcer may be signs of a stomach tumor. Nausea and vomiting: Some stomach cancer patients have symptoms that include nausea and vomiting.
What Is The Prognosis For People Who Have Stomach Cancer
The outlook for stomach cancer depends on the stage of cancer. People in the early stages of stomach cancer have a much better prognosis than those at a later stage. The 5-year survival rate for stomach cancer may be as high as 70% or as low as 6% .
Speak with your provider for a more accurate assessment of your prognosis. The type of cancer you have, its spread, your health and how your cancer responds to treatment all shape your prognosis.
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/13other Organs Affected By Stomach Cancer
Many cancer deaths are caused when the cancer moves from the original tumor and spreads to other tissues and organs of the body. In Stage III, stomach cancer also can spread to nearby organs such as the spleen, colon, liver, diaphragm, pancreas, abdomen wall, adrenal gland, kidney, small intestine, or to the back of the abdomen.