Gastric cancer
What is gastric cancer and how does it develop?
Gastric cancer is an oncological disease in which malignant tumor cells begin to spread in the gastric mucosa.
The most common form of gastric cancer is adenocarcinoma. Less common forms include lymphoma, gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST), and carcinoid tumor.
What are the statistics on the prevalence of gastric cancer in Georgia and worldwide?
More than one million new cases of gastric cancer are reported worldwide each year. Gastric cancer is more common in men and ranks fourth among cancers, while in women it ranks seventh.
In Georgia, gastric cancer is among the top ten cancer diseases and ranks third in terms of fatal outcome. In men, it ranks second in mortality after lung cancer. An average of 500 people die of gastric cancer in Georgia every year. The main reason for the high mortality rate is late detection of the disease. Therefore, it is very important to detect gastric cancer at an early stage and treat it properly.
What are the early signs and symptoms of gastric cancer?
In the early stages, gastric cancer may be asymptomatic or have symptoms that the patient may associate with other gastroenterologic diseases, ignore or self-medicate.
Early symptoms of gastric cancer include:
- Abdominal pain;
- Lack of appetite;
- Heartburn;
- Abdominal bloating after eating;
- Difficulty swallowing;
- Feeling of nausea.
Symptoms of advanced-stage gastric cancer include:
- Vomiting blood;
- Weight loss;
- Severe weakness;
- Dark stools.
How important is early diagnosis and how can it change treatment outcomes?
Early diagnosis of gastric cancer significantly increases the chances of recovery. Studies confirm that patients who detect gastric cancer at an early stage have a much better chance of beating the disease than those who start treatment late.
In the early stages, the tumor is localized in the gastric mucosa and surrounding tissues. In such cases, treatment is less aggressive, side effects are weaker, and the chances of recovery are higher. When cancer spreads to lymph nodes and other organs and metastasizes, treatment becomes more difficult and the prognosis is less encouraging.
How is gastric cancer screening performed and at what age is it recommended for patients?
Screening is essential for early detection of gastric cancer and its successful treatment.
The gold standard for gastric cancer screening is endoscopy of the stomach and esophagus. During an endoscopic examination, the patient's stomach and esophagus are examined using a tube equipped with a light and camera. The endoscopy is performed with or without anesthesia.
If a tumor mass is found during the endoscopy, it may be cut out and biopsied.
Screening for gastric cancer is recommended every 3 years starting at age 45 or as directed by your doctor.
What factors contribute to the development of gastric cancer?
The exact cause of gastric cancer development is not known to doctors. However, risk factors have been identified, such as:
- Chronic gastroesophageal reflux;
- Excessively salty diet;
- Smoked meats, convenience foods, fast food;
- Helicobacter pylori;
- Chronic gastritis;
- Growth of benign tumors, polyps in the gastric;
- Gender and age - gastric cancer is more common in elderly male patients;
- Tobacco use;
- Hereditary factor.
Is the disease hereditary?
Gastric cancer is a genetically inherited disease. If a patient has a family history of hereditary diffuse gastric cancer, Lynch syndrome or Peyton-Egger syndrome, this is a risk factor for developing gastric cancer and screening at an earlier age is recommended.
Aggravated heredity does not mean that a patient will necessarily develop gastric cancer, although the absence of a genetic factor is not a guarantee of avoiding the disease.
How and by what methods is gastric cancer diagnosed and treated at New Hospitals?
The region's leading cancer center operates in New Hospitals, where professional specialists, using the latest technology, provide patients with a complete diagnosis and a wide range of treatments.
Patient-centered care that takes into account the interests of the patient and their family members is a priority for New Hospitals. The Cancer Center is focused on an individual approach to the patient and a full range of services.
Doctors of New Hospitals Cancer Center have many years of experience in diagnostics and treatment of all types of oncological diseases based on international standards. Treatment can be carried out by both traditional and experimental methods.
At the Cancer Center, gastric cancer is diagnosed using various methods provided by international guidelines. These may include:
- Endoscopy;
- Biopsy;
- Abdominal ultrasound;
- Contrast X-rays of the stomach;
- Laboratory tests;
- Computerized tomography;
New Hospitals Cancer Center offers patients an individualized treatment plan. Gastric cancer treatment depends on the stage of the cancer, its location, type and other factors. The doctor usually prescribes a combination of treatments depending on the severity of the disease.
The methods of treatment for gastric cancer are:
- Surgery - surgical intervention is an effective method in the early stages of the disease. During surgery, a small tumor, damaged areas of the stomach, and lymph nodes to which metastases have spread are removed. In some cases, the entire organ is removed.
- Chemotherapy - with this method of treatment, the patient takes drugs that destroy tumor cells or slow their reproduction. Chemotherapy can be administered either before or after surgery. The course of treatment may be given several times at intervals. There are oral, intravenous, and injectable chemotherapy. After the course of chemotherapy is completed, the patient's condition is monitored and the results of the treatment are evaluated.
- Radiation therapy - radiation therapy, also called radiotherapy, is usually administered in combination with other treatments. During radiation therapy, high-energy radiation is used to kill cancer cells. Radiation therapy is often used before or after surgery for stage II and III tumors.
- Immunotherapy - this type of therapy involves treatment with drugs that help the body's immune system destroy cancer cells. Immunotherapy is mainly prescribed for stage IV cancer.
How can I prevent gastric cancer?
To reduce the risk of developing gastric cancer, patients are advised to:
- Adhere to a healthy diet - give preference to fruits and vegetables;
- Reduce the amount of salty and smoked foods;
- If Helicobacter pylori is present in the body, treat it promptly;
- Refuse to use alcohol and tobacco;
- Undergo screening for gastric cancer.
