What is Stomach Cancer

Stomach cancer is a cancer that starts in the stomach and may spread to other organs. Almost all stomach cancers are adenocarcinoma, which begins in the glandular tissue of the stomach. Early stomach cancer may cause no symptoms, or cause commonly misdiagnosed symptoms such as indigestion, nausea, poor appetite, and bloating. Because of this, stomach cancer is often detected at a late stage, when it is difficult to cure. Surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation treatments are used to treat stomach cancer.

Symptoms of Stomach Cancer are-

Pain or discomfort,Nausea or vomiting,Coffee grounds colored vomit,Bloody or red colored vomit,Weight loss (unintentional)

Treatment

Treatment for stomach cancer may include: 

1.Surgery to remove the cancer and part or all of the stomach 

2.Intravenous or oral chemotherapy to kill or slow the growth of cancer cells, especially when cancer that has spread 

3.Radiation therapy to kill very small areas of cancer that can't be seen 

4.Targeted drugs such as trastuzumab, a man-made version of an immune system protein, which is given intravenously with chemotherapy 

5.Clinical trials, trying the newest treatments that are being studied

Self Care

These self-care strategies can help you cope with some of the physical and emotional symptoms stomach cancer: 

1.Talk to a nutritionist about how to keep a healthy diet if you have problems with eating because of stomach cancer or the treatments for it. 

2.Try to do some physical activity every day. 

3.Don't run yourself down. Find ways to de-stress and control your workload. 

4.If you are vomiting or have diarrhea, drink plenty of clear, caffeine-free liquids. When you are able to eat, start with clear soups, gelatin, dry toast, crackers, or cooked cereal. 

5.Ask your doctor about alternative therapies, such as meditation to reduce stress or acupuncture to relieve pain. 

6.Don't bottle up your feelings. If you are having trouble expressing your emotions to family and friends, consider joining a support group.

When to See Your Doctor

See your doctor if you have any symptoms that you think may be stomach cancer. If you don't have symptoms but have one or more risk factors for stomach cancer, ask your doctor if you should be screened for stomach cancer.

Call emergency if you pass out, vomit blood, have very bloody stools, have a high fever, or feel very weak. 

Get immediate medical care if your stools are tarry or streaked with blood or you are dehydrated, have vomited for more than 24 hours, have severe diarrhea or aren't able to keep liquids down, or have fever or dizziness.

Diagnosed By

The doctor will take a medical history, do a physical exam, and may do blood tests, X-rays, a CT scan or biopsy, or may examine the esophagus and stomach with a thin lighted instrument called a gastroscope. If you have stomach cancer, the doctor will give the diagnosis a number between I and IV, which indicates how much the cancer has spread. This is called "staging." The higher the number, the more the cancer has spread.