Stomach cancer, often known as gastric cancer, is the growth of abnormal cells in the stomach. Stomach cancer can happen in any part of the stomach. Stomach cancer is likely to start in the gastroesophageal junction in the body, says the best GI surgeon in Kolkata.
Causes and symptoms of stomach cancer: Explains GI surgeon
Stomach cancer develops when abnormal cells in any part of the stomach grow and divide unnaturally. Tumours can begin in any part of the stomach; however, they mostly begin in the glandular tissue of the stomach’s inner surface. Stomach cancer is a common disorder and affects more men than women, says the best gastro surgeon in Kolkata.
Some of the factors that increase the chances of stomach cancer are as follows:
- Smoking tobacco and drinking alcohol
- Infection with bacteria Helicobacter pylori
- Being overweight
- A diet high in smoked, pickled, and salted foods
- Partial gastrectomy for ulcer disease
- Pernicious anemia
Stomach cancer doesn’t always have any symptoms in its early stage. Stomach cancer only has symptoms specific to where it spreads, says the best cancer doctor in Kolkata. For instance, if cancer spreads in the lymph nodes, it might cause lumps on the skin. Some of the other symptoms of stomach cancer when you might develop in the later stage are:
- Trouble swallowing
- Vomiting blood
- Black stools
- Severe belly pain
- Feeling bloated after eating
- Heartburn
- Feeling full after eating a small amount of food
- Not feeling hungry when you must be hungry
If you experience any of these symptoms, do not ignore your treatment, otherwise, it might prove fatal.
Treatment of stomach cancer: Recommends GI surgeon
There are many treatments to fight stomach cancer. But treatment mostly depends upon how long you had the disease and how much it has spread to the body, says a cancer doctor in Kolkata.
Before starting your treatment, the best gastro surgeon in Kolkata conducts some tests like stomach ultrasound, imaging tests, and blood tests to determine the severity of cancer.
The common types of treatments that most GI surgeon in Kolkata suggests are as follows:
- Surgery is the most popular treatment to kill cancer cells to prevent their spread. If the cancer is early stage, surgery is used to remove part of the stomach with cancer cells and nearby lymph nodes.
- Radiation therapy uses high-energy X-rays and gamma rays to destroy cancer cells. Radiation therapy is done to shrink the cancer cells before and after the surgery.
- Chemotherapy involves using powerful drugs to destroy cancer cells. Chemotherapy destroys the remaining cancer cells after surgery, slow down the growth of tumor cell and reduce cancer related symptoms.
- Targeted therapy is a treatment which targets cancer’s specific genes, proteins or the tissues that contribute to cancer growth. This procedure blocks the growth of cancer cells and limits damage to healthy cells.
Conclusion If you have any signs and symptoms that are worrying you, you should make an appointment with the best gastro surgeon in Kolkata to start your treatment and have an effective recovery.