Gastric cancer
Gastric cancer
Gastric cancer is the most frequent tumor affecting the stomach and is malignant in nature.
Risk factors
- Gastric adenoma
- Smoking
- Obesity
- Hereditary non polyposis colorectal cancer
- H pylori infection with chronic atrophic gastritis
- Juvenile polyposis
- Peutz Jegher’s Syndrome
Clinical symptoms
- Vomiting
- Hematemesis
- Abdominal pain
- Post prandial fullness
- Anorexia
- Weight loss
- Post prandial fullness
Diagnosis and staging
- Endoscopy is the main diagnostic tool for diagnosing gastric cancer. Endoscopic findings reveal presence of gastric ulcer with protruded margins and mass in the stomach.
- CECT abdomen indicated in cases of surgical resection
- PET scan is not helpful compared to other approaches
Treatment
- Surgery is the main treatment choice in patients with resectable tumor
- Patients with advanced disease should undergo chemotherapy treatment in order to allow reduction in symptoms. It increases the survival and downstage the tumor to facilitate surgical intervention.
