Stomach Cancer

Talking about stomach cancer, it may come with symptoms that resemble those of stomach ulcers, which is important to diagnose the disease quickly for effective treatment. It is commonly found in people over 40 years old, and more often in men than women. In Thailand, endoscopic examination of patients with symptoms of stomach disease found that stomach cancer is a cause of stomach ulcers in about 2% of cases. Symptoms of stomach ulcers include abdominal pain, bloating, or indigestion, usually around the tongue to the esophagus, early satiety, nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting, and black or bloody stools. If these symptoms are present, it is recommended to see a doctor for a clear and definitive diagnosis of the cause.

What are the symptoms of stomach cancer?

Symptoms may be similar to stomach ulcers, such as cramping pain around the tongue before or after eating, but the symptoms may persist for a long time without improvement even with medication. If the condition is severe, there may be bleeding in the stomach, black stools, or vomiting blood. Sometimes, a lump may be palpable in the abdomen in the later stages of the disease that does not go away with treatment. Therefore, if stomach ulcers do not improve with treatment, it is important to see a doctor and have endoscopic examination.

Risk factors

The risk factors for stomach cancer include genetic abnormalities, Helicobacter pylori infection, presence of polyps in the stomach lining, smoking, heavy alcohol consumption, consumption of certain fermented animal products such as sausage, ham, salted fish, or grilled meat, diets high in salt or low in vitamin C.

Diagnosis

The diagnosis of stomach cancer involves endoscopy and biopsy, which are highly accurate. Treatment for stomach cancer often involves surgery and can be curative in early-stage cases. Surgery can also help alleviate symptoms for patients with advanced-stage cancer.

Prevention

Prevention of stomach cancer currently has no clear data, but some risk factors can be addressed, such as treating Helicobacter pylori infection, avoiding pickled and salty foods, grilled or barbecued foods, and consuming foods high in vitamin C or carotene, quitting smoking and avoiding alcohol. Avoiding these risk factors may reduce the risk of stomach cancer, but there is no clear evidence. Therefore, if you have symptoms of stomach cancer for more than 4 weeks, you should see a doctor for proper treatment.

Indicators for investigating the cause

Age or taking medication for about 2 weeks and the condition does not improve.

With best regards from the Gastroenterology and Hepatology Center, Vibhavadi Hospital.