Stomach Cancer
Oncological SurgeryStomach cancer occurs as a result of the development of malignant tumors in the gastric mucosa for various reasons. Stomach cancer, which is more common in men than in women, can be diagnosed early and controlled with correct treatment practices, thanks to advances in technology in recent years.
Stomach cancer is a disease that usually progresses insidiously and is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage when symptoms appear. On the other hand, even if symptoms are present, they may be ignored by patients since the complaints can also be seen in many other diseases. These findings include weight loss, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, difficulty swallowing, bleeding, early satiety, and ulcer-like pain, and they can be easily ignored.
Early diagnosis of stomach cancer is very important for the success of treatment. For this reason, it is very important that people who have stomach problems and risk factors are followed up with endoscopy in the early period.
After diagnosis, advanced examinations such as CT, PET-CT, and MRI are needed to determine the stage of the disease and plan treatment. Then, the cancerous tissue must be removed using one of the open, laparoscopic or robotic surgical methods.
Although the incidence of stomach cancer has decreased over the years compared to other types of cancer, it remains important as it is a partially preventable type of cancer. Scientific developments, especially in the field of stomach cancer, have made serious breakthroughs in preventing cancer before it occurs.
Detecting the bacterium Helicobacter pylori as one of the causes of stomach cancer, and most importantly, and showing that this bacterium can be treated with antibiotics, is the cornerstone of the fight against stomach cancer.
However, there are doubts that eradicating H. Pylori (removing it with antibiotics) will completely prevent stomach cancer. H. Pylori also leads to lymphoma, which can be considered among the malignant diseases of the stomach.
Stomach Cancer Diagnosis
Stomach cancer often occurs with complaints described as indigestion. For this reason, it can be neglected by the patient for a long time. However, early intervention provides successful results in treatment. For these reasons, if you have the symptoms and findings mentioned above, you should definitely consult a doctor.
After listening to your family history and medical history, your doctor may request some tests if he suspects a stomach-related condition based on the physical examination findings.
Gastroscopy is one of the most important examinations. During gastroscopy, a flexible tube with a camera at the end is entered into your stomach through the mouth, the inner wall of the stomach is examined, and samples are taken from suspicious areas and sent for pathological study. The detection of cancer or precursor lesions can only be done this way.
If cancer is diagnosed, imaging techniques such as tomography, MRI and PET can be used to determine the extent of the disease and determine appropriate treatment options.
Stomach Cancer Treatment Process
As in many other types of cancer, surgical methods, chemotherapy and radiotherapy are used in stomach cancer. Although surgery is the first option in suitable patients, the extent of cancer and the general health of the patient are of great importance in making the decision for surgery.
The earlier the cancer is detected and the less it has spread, the greater the chance of cure with surgical treatments. In surgeries performed for curative purposes, most or all of the stomach and the lymph nodes around the stomach are removed. In addition, there are a number of surgical interventions performed in advanced stage patients to increase the patient's comfort of life.
Chemotherapy is used to slow down tumor growth in advanced stage patients, to reduce the tumor to surgically removable sizes in patients who are suitable for surgery but whose tumor size is large, and to reduce tumor size to surgically removable sizes in patients with advanced stages 2-3. It can be used to reduce the possibility of recurrence after surgery in stage disease.
Although radiotherapy is not a routine treatment method in the treatment of stomach cancer, it is a method that can be used to shrink tumors or eliminate the feeling of pain in advanced stages.