Stomach Cancer Symptoms: What You Need To Know

ByPatrick Vitt Bryan

Cancer is the abnormal or malignant growth of body cell. When this occurs in the stomach, it is referred as stomach or gastric cancer and it is characterized by the growth of some cancerous cells in the stomach. So as to get a good understanding of this type of cancer, we should look at the stomach. The stomach is made of three tissue layers which are mucosal, muscularis, and serosal which are the innermost, middle and outermost layers respectively.

Going to the types of stomach cancer we have the gastric adenocarcinoma also know as the glandular tissue cancer. The other forms of cancer of the stomach which are very rare include lymphomas which are cancer that affects the lymphatic system and sarcomas which is cancer that affects the connective tissues such as fat, blood vessels and muscle.

One thing about stomach tumor or cancer is that it can affect the nearby lymph nodes. For instance, it could grow on the outer stomach layer and spread to the nearby tissues which include the intestine, pancreas and esophagus. It could also spread through the blood to other vital organs like the liver, lungs and so on. Some patients have had stomach tumor spreading through the lymphatic system thus affecting all the lymph nodes. Whenever stomach tumor spreads this ways, it forms the cancerous cells of its origin and not destination. For instance when it goes to the liver, it does not form liver cancer but the cells that grow are the ones of stomach cancer.

There are a number of symptoms of stomach cancer. Some of the common symptoms that will be noticed include mild nausea, heartburns, some discomforts during ingestion and in the stomach as well a bloated stomach immediately after eating. In advanced stages, patients will have unexplained weight losses, vomiting, jaundice, stomach pains, swallowing troubles as well as blood appearing in their stool. Some stomach infection or ulcer could have symptoms similar to the one mentioned above and you need to see a doctor to confirm if you have cancer or this diseases.

When it comes to stomach tumor prognosis, it depended on the stage at which it is detected. Early detection could increase the chances of recovery will late will reduce these chances. It could be treated but it will rarely get cured. To treat cancer, the approach to be used depends on factors such as the location and size of this tumor, patient's general health and the stage it is at. The common general methods of treating cancer are surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy and biological therapy.

Finally, looking at the risk factors that normally increase the chances of developing this cancer are chronic gastritis - stomach inflammation, cigarette smoking, being male, gastric polyps, Intestinal metaplasia, Pernicious anemia, old age, stomach infection by Helicobacter pylori, eating highly salted, smoked or foods that are poorly preserved and hereditary factors.

For more information on stomach cancer symptoms visit http://www.stomachcancer.org.uk/stomach-cancer-symptoms.html

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