Stomach Cancer
Your stomach helps you digest food by contracting, relaxing and producing acid. Then it passes the food into your small intestine. Stomach cancer is rare in the UK. It occurs when cells in the stomach grow abnormally and uncontrollably, usually in the stomach’s inner layer. Another name for it is gastric cancer. It is often confused with bowel cancer, but these are two different conditions. Common treatments include surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and targeted drugs.
Symptoms
Many people have no symptoms in the early stages of stomach cancer. You may not notice anything is wrong until you reach a more advanced stage. The first signs you might pay attention to include swallowing problems, feeling or being sick, feeling full soon after eating or losing your appetite, and heartburn or acid reflux.
You may also experience:
- Tiredness or weakness
- Abdominal pain or discomfort
- Frequent or continuous bloating
- Blood in your poo or vomiting blood
Advanced symptoms include:
- Shortness of breath
- Significant weight loss
- Yellow skin or eyes (jaundice)
- Fluid build-up in the abdomen (ascites)
Some people also experience bad breath, though gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) are more common causes.
Is there a difference between men and women?
Men and women usually experience the same symptoms of stomach cancer. However, men are more likely to get this condition. Men may have a higher risk as they are more likely to smoke or get an H. pylori infection. Oestrogen, a female sex hormone, may also protect against stomach cancer.
Risk factors
A risk factor increases your risk of developing of cancer or another condition. Risk factors of stomach cancer include:
Causes
The exact cause is not known, though it may be related to damage in the stomach lining from an infection or something else. This damage can lead to cell DNA changes that cause them to grow uncontrollably.
Diagnosis
We have no screening programme in the UK, but you should speak to your GP if you experience stomach cancer symptoms. Your GP may perform a physical exam to look at your stomach and the surrounding area. They might also recommend a stool test to look for blood in your poo.
Additional tests you may need include:
- An upper endoscopy (gastroscopy) with a biopsy
- Imaging tests, such as PET-CT and CT scan
- Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)
- Barium swallow
- Laparoscopy
- Blood tests
Once it is confirmed that you have cancer, you will need some follow-up tests to determine its stage, grade and type. Alternatively, you may not have stomach cancer and receive a diagnosis of another condition. For example, peptic ulcer, GORD, gastritis, gallstones, and pancreatic or bowel cancer.
Stages
Your cancer stage refers to how far the cancer has spread, how big it is, and whether it is metastatic. We use the Tumour, Node, Metastasis (TNM) staging system with the number system (one to four) to represent this.
For example, if you have stage 0, it means you have severely abnormal cells that may become cancerous. You may also hear this called carcinoma in situ or high-grade dysplasia. We can cure this with endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) or surgery in many cases.
We often confirm the type of cancer at the same time as the stage and use both to decide your first line of treatment.
Types
Adenocarcinoma is the most common type, accounting for roughly 90% of all cases. It develops in your gland cells, which handle the production of mucus and stomach juices. Rarer types include gastric lymphomas, squamous cell cancer, gastrointestinal stromal tumour (GIST), carcinoid tumours and stomach neuroendocrine tumours (NETs).
Treatment
Your general health and age will inform your treatment plan as well as the stage, grade and type of cancer.
EMR, surgery, and radiation therapy are usually suitable for local cancer (cancer that hasn’t spread). If it has spread, we may recommend chemotherapy and targeted or immunotherapy drugs. We may also use chemotherapy alongside surgical treatment.
We use EMR to remove the lining of your stomach when the cancer is very small and hasn’t spread. Surgical treatment often involves a gastrectomy, which is when we remove part or all of the stomach.
If you have advanced cancer, surgery can help us improve your quality of life. We call this a palliative treatment. Other examples of palliative care include medication, dietary or nutritional changes and relaxation techniques, such as yoga and acupuncture. You may also receive support for your emotional and spiritual needs.
Unfortunately, stomach cancer is often found in its later stages (stages 3 to 4), when it’s less treatable. Cancer Research UK provides some helpful statistics for survival by stage.
Private stomach cancer tests
It is crucial you seek medical advice as soon as you experience unusual symptoms, such as feeling full quickly, appetite loss, and seeing blood in your poo. Our specialists can provide a fast series of diagnostic tests to find cancer early or rule it out.
We understand that it’s a stressful time when you are worried about cancer, which is why our specialists take their time to answer all your questions and support you as much as possible. Contact our clinic to arrange private diagnostic tests for stomach cancer.