Column
The plague of stomach cancer
Dr Kan Yuk Man explains how to deal with it
Stomach , or gastric , cancer is the fifth most common cancer in the world , with a higher incidence found in developed countries and in males
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In most societies , food is culturally regarded as an important aspect of social interaction . It comes in the form of entertainment , the gift of sharing , and , even for some , a comfort tool . What we eat is what we are . The old adage , “ the way to a man ’ s heart is through his stomach ”, is still so true today whether you ’ re young or old , child or adult , woman or man . The stomach , which is the organ between the oesophagus and the small intestines , is where the process of digestion first begins . Eating for most people is a joyful activity , but when the process goes wrong and cancer develops in the stomach , the outcome can be very poor .
Stomach , or gastric , cancer is the fifth most common cancer in the world , with a higher incidence found in developed countries and in males . When first diagnosed , in most cases , the cancer has already spread to different parts of the body . The prognosis is very poor , and a cure is impossible . It ’ s generally a death sentence , with over 800,000 deaths reported annually worldwide . While it can be cured if it ’ s diagnosed at an early stage , 79 percent of people who are first diagnosed already have Stage 4 cancer , i . e ., the cancer has spread to other parts of the body . Within five years , less than four percent of people with stage 4 stomach cancer are alive , with 9� percent having died from it regardless of age or health .
Symptoms of stomach cancer can be very subtle . Early cancer can be completely asymptomatic , but the patient can also experience a wide range of symptoms , from simple mild gastritis or heartburn to more sinister signs , such as persistent nausea and vomiting , unexplained weight loss , loss of appetite , dysphagia ( difficulty swallowing ), bleeding that leads
Stomach Cancer - 5 year survival rate
46 %
Stage I Stage II Stage III Stage IV
5-yr survival of stomach cancer after treatment ( surgery / chemotherapy ) according to stage of diseas at time of presentation
20 %
4 %
SOURCE : AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY 2017 to black smelly stools ( melaena ), stomach pains , poor digestion , and vomiting blood ( heamatemesis ).
What are the risk factors ? The recognised risk factors for developing stomach cancer are the presence of long-term gastritis ( atrophic gastritis , intestinal metaplasia , dysplasia ), smoking , excess alcohol , personal or family history of cancer , obesity , a sedentary life style , high dietary salt such as salting or pickling of food , a diet with high meat content , and the lack of fresh fruits and vegetables . In 1994 , the WHO announced that the presence of the bacteria helicobactor pylori in the stomach can induce the development of cancer .
Prevention is always better than cure In modern medical practice , prevention remains the main goal for any disease , and for stomach cancer this falls into two fronts :
The first is to tackle the risk factors mentioned earlier by adopting good habits , a good diet , and good health , meaning eating healthily with less salt , more fresh fruits , more vegetables , and less meat . STOP SMO�IN� is a must , as is reducing alcohol intake . Regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight are also important for cutting the chances of developing stomach and other types of cancers . Eradication of any helicobactor pylori infection when it ’ s been detected ( blood or stool sampling , breath testing , or directly sampling during gastroscopy ) is another key factor in prevention . This is done by using a course of antibiotic therapy .
The second is to identify early changes before transformation of the stomach lining to cancerous cells can occur . Another aim of detection is to discover the cancer at an early stage . Detection is performed by “ gastroscopy ” which uses a flexible camera placed through the mouth into the stomach . This allows imaging of the lining of the stomach and for biopsies to be taken to examine for cellular changes or helicobacter pylori infection .
Those complaining of any of these symptoms or at high risk for stomach cancer should seek a medical assessment and undergo an endoscopy , if deemed necessary . There have been some new developments in the field of early detection with tests to identify the biomarker m�NA ( �AST�Oclear TM ) in the blood stream for gastric cancer . This is being used as a screening tool and can lead to early detection and survival .
66 AUGUST 2021 GlobalHealthAndTravel . com