Common signs of stomach cancer

Stomach cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in both men and women in Vietnam.

Stomach cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world. According to data from Globocan 2020, stomach cancer ranks 4th among common cancers in Vietnam with 17,906 new cases, accounting for 9.8%.

Stomach cancer is divided into 5 stages.

The mortality rate of this cancer also ranks 3rd in the top deadliest cancers with 14,615 deaths, accounting for 11.9%. This is a disease that is often in the top of the most dangerous cancers.

The disease has a high mortality rate but is difficult to diagnose because patients in the early stages often have no symptoms or have symptoms that are easily confused with other digestive diseases.

Stomach cancer is an abnormal change or growth that originates from a few cells and can gradually progress to form a cancerous lesion in the form of a bud or an ulcer.

This process can take at least several months or several years. Therefore, in the early stages of tumor formation, if not screened early, the disease cannot be detected.

The disease can affect any part of the stomach, but most commonly the main part of the stomach (gastric body) and the gastroesophageal junction.

Stomach cancer does not always cause symptoms in its early stages. Symptoms may not occur until the cancer is advanced. Stomach cancer that has spread to other parts of the body is called metastatic stomach cancer, and symptoms are specific to the site of spread.

For example, when cancer spreads to the lymph nodes, a lump can be felt through the skin; cancer spreading to the liver can cause jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes); cancer spreading to the abdomen can cause fluid to leak into the abdomen, making it look swollen.

Doctor Ngo Tuan Phuc, Oncology Department, Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City said that based on the level of damage, stomach cancer is divided into 5 stages, including:

Stage 0: Cancer cells are just appearing in the lining of the stomach. This is also called epithelial cancer, which is an early stage of stomach cancer.

Stage 1: Cancer cells have damaged the second layer of the stomach. Stage 2: Cancer cells have invaded through the stomach lining. This stage is also called submuscular cancer.

Stage 3: Cancer cells have grown into lymph nodes and other organs in the body. Stage 4: In this final stage, cancer cells have metastasized throughout the body, causing a high risk of death.

When a malignant lesion forms in the stomach, depending on the stage of the disease and the location of the lesion, the patient may have different signs. However, in general, this sign is often quite vague and not specific to stomach cancer (because this sign can also appear in other benign diseases of the stomach).

Symptoms of stomach cancer include: Early stages: Usually divided into 2 main groups:

Gastrointestinal disorders: Difficulty swallowing; belching, acid reflux, heartburn; nausea, vomiting.

Pain sensation: Dull, non-cyclical pain; pain when hungry; pain in the substernal area after a full meal.

Due to its non-specific and vague nature, this symptom is easily confused with gastric ulcer. Therefore, patients are often subjective and do not screen for the disease early. This is also the reason why stomach cancer is often detected late, when it is already in the advanced and metastatic stages.

Advanced stage: Signs of stomach cancer are also divided into the following groups:

Digestive disorders: Nausea and vomiting; frequent heartburn; constant bloating; feeling full after eating little; loss of appetite.

Pain sensation: Often severe pain after eating or dull, irregular pain; pain when hungry; pain in the area below the sternum after eating.

Bleeding in cancerous lesions of the stomach: anemia; bloody or black stools; yellow skin.

Nutritional disorders due to poor or no absorption: sudden weight loss, no known reason; dizziness, lightheadedness; fatigue to the point of reduced ability to work.

What to do when there are signs of stomach cancer? According to doctors' recommendations, patients should go to a reputable medical facility for examination, diagnosis and timely treatment. Stomach cancer treatment is most likely to be successful if the disease is detected at an early stage.

The prognosis for patients with early-stage stomach cancer is quite good, and many patients can be cured. However, most stomach cancers are detected when the cancer has developed to a late stage and is difficult to cure.

Early stage stomach cancer is often difficult to detect because the symptoms are similar to gastritis.

Therefore, to detect stomach cancer early, patients need to go to the hospital to be examined by a doctor and have diagnostic measures applied.

Stomach cancer diagnostic methods commonly used in hospitals include gastroscopy, gastric biopsy, blood tests, imaging diagnosis, etc.

Stomach cancer is becoming more and more common and younger, and treatment is expensive and difficult. In particular, if detected late when cancer cells have metastasized, there is no cure. Therefore, people should improve the prevention of stomach cancer early by maintaining a scientific lifestyle, exercise, and rest.

Maintain a healthy diet with foods rich in vitamins and fiber. Limit foods rich in nitric and secondary amino acids such as pickles, pickled eggplants, fermented foods, smoked meats, and grilled foods. Because when entering the stomach, this substance will combine into toxins that cause cancer risk.

Do not smoke, drink alcohol or use stimulants. Limit processed foods and bottled soft drinks.

Take the initiative to screen for stomach cancer early in cases with risk factors. Early stage stomach cancer is often difficult to detect because the symptoms are similar to gastritis.

Source: https://baodautu.vn/cac-dau-hieu-thuong-gap-cua-ung-thu-da-day-d223319.html