Stomach Cancer - UK Health Insurance

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[Schizophrenia] [Shingles] [Stomach Cancer]

STOMACH CANCER

Stomach cancer refers to the abnormal cell growth forming a mass known as 'tumor' in the stomach.

TARGET GROUP:

Stomach cancer seldom affects people under age 40, and is more common in people over the age of 55. It is twice as common in men as in women. It is more common in people of African descent than in people of Caucasian descent.

TYPE OF AILMENT:

There are three major types of stomach cancers: Lymphomas, Gastric stromal tumors, and Carcinoid tumors. Lymphomas are cancers of the immune system tissue that are occasionally found in the wall of the stomach. Gastric stromal tumors develop from the tissue of the stomach wall. Carcinoid tumors are caused by the tumors of hormone-producing cells of the stomach.

 

SYMPTOMS:

The various symptoms of stomach cancer are;

• Lack of appetite and weight loss
• Uneasiness in the abdomen, often above the navel
• Pain in a specific area of the stomach
• Feeling of fullness below the chest bone even after eating a small meal
• Heartburn, indigestion or ulcer-type symptoms
• Nausea and Vomiting with or without blood
• Abdominal swelling
• Fatigue and weakness

 

AFFECTED AREA:

It affects the abdomen, causing pain and swelling which may further spread to the other organs of the body.

POSSIBLE CAUSES:

The various factors responsible are environmental like dust, molds, fumes, and other environmental means at home or in the workplace. Infection in the stomach may also implicate cancers. Wrong diet that may include high salt intake and preservatives called nitrates, which are found in salted, pickled, or smoked foods. The low intake of green leafy vegetables can be some dietary factors which play a role in the development of stomach cancer.

 

RISK OF CANCER:

Brothers, sisters and children of those who have had stomach cancer are at higher risk of lung cancer themselves.

RISK TO SUFFERER:

Once diagnosed stomach cancer requires immediate treatment otherwise it may become life threatening.

TREATMENT:

The treatment includes radiation therapy (the use of high-energy rays to shrink or kill cancer cells. It causes mild skin problems, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or fatigue) Chemotherapy (drugs kill cancer cells, they also damage some normal cells and this can lead to side effects) and surgery (removal of the affected part of the stomach).