Stomach cancer

Stomach cancer occurs when abnormal cell growth begins in the stomach. Stomach cancer is also called gastric cancer. The stomach is in the upper middle part of the belly, just below the ribs. The stomach helps to break down and digest food.
Stomach cancer can happen in any part of the stomach. In most of the world, stomach cancers happen in the main part of the stomach. This part is called the stomach body. In the United States, stomach cancer is more likely to start by the gastroesophageal junction. This is the part where the long tube that carries food you swallow meets the stomach. The tube that carries food to the stomach is called the esophagus.
Where the cancer starts in the stomach is one factor health care providers think about when making a treatment plan. Other factors might include the cancer's stage and the type of cells involved. Treatment often includes surgery to remove the stomach cancer. Other treatments may be used before and after surgery. Stomach cancer treatment is most likely to be successful if the cancer is only in the stomach. The prognosis for people with small stomach cancers is quite good. Many can expect to be cured. Most stomach cancers are found when the disease is advanced and a cure is less likely. Stomach cancer that grows through the stomach wall or spreads to other parts of the body is harder to cure.
== Symptoms ==
The symptoms of stomach cancer include:
*Trouble swallowing
*Belly pain
*Feeling bloated after eating
*Loss of appetite
*Not feeling hungry when you would expect to be hungry
*Heartburn
*Indigestion
*Nausea and vomiting
*Weight loss
*Changes in stool appearance, like black stools
*Fatigue and weakness
*Tiredness
== Causes ==
Causes of stomach cancer include:
*Ongoing problems with stomach acid backing up into the esophagus, which is called gastroesophageal reflux disease
*A diet high in salty and smoked foods
*A diet low in fruits and vegetables
*Infection in the stomach caused by a germ called Helicobacter pylori
*Swelling and irritation of the inside of the stomach, which is called gastritis
*Smoking
*Obesity
*Drinking alcohol
*Drugs
*Growths of noncancerous cells in the stomach, called polyps
*Family history of stomach cancer
*Family history of genetic syndromes that causes cancers, such as hereditary diffuse gastric cancer, Lynch syndrome, juvenile polyposis syndrome, Peutz-Jeghers syndrome and familial adenomatous polyposis
== Treatment ==
Treatment options for stomach cancer include:
*Surgery: The goal of surgery for stomach cancer, which is also called gastric cancer, is to remove all of the cancer. For small stomach cancers, surgery might be the first treatment. Other treatments might be used first if the stomach cancer grows deeper into the stomach wall or spreads to the lymph nodes.
*Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy is a drug treatment that uses chemicals to kill cancer cells.
*Radiation therapy: Radiation therapy uses high-powered beams of energy to kill cancer cells. The beams can come from X-rays, protons or other sources. During radiation therapy, you lie on a table while a machine gives the radiation treatment to precise points on your body.
Category:Cancer
Category:Stomach