The stomach is a muscular pouch situated just below your ribs in the
upper part of your abdomen. Stomach cancer is an uncontrolled cell
proliferation that starts in the stomach. Stomach Cancer sometimes also
referred to as Gastric Cancer can be developed in any part of the
stomach. Stomach cancer can be cured but the chances are not very high.
If the cancer is at an early stage, there are treatments that can be
followed and the quality of life can be improved a bit. Best cancer treatments in
Mumbai also include the treatment of Stomach cancer. So, a
person can refer to one of the various best cancer doctors in Mumbai for stomach cancer
problems.
Symptoms of Stomach Cancer
It is very difficult to recognize the symptoms of stomach cancer at an
early stage as it includes some day-to-day life problems. These include
- persistent heartburn and indigestion, after eating having the feeling
of being bloated and having frequent burps, ongoing stomach discomfort,
etc. Most of these can occur besides stomach cancer as well, so it
becomes difficult at this stage to identify.
Symptoms of stomach cancer at an advanced stage may include:-
- black stools or stools with blood in them
- reduced appetite
- feeling nauseous all the time
- decrease of weight
- abdominal pain
- Vomiting
- Swelling or fluid build-up in the abdomen
- feeling exhausted or weak due to having insufficient red blood
cells,
- If cancer spreads to the liver, it will cause jaundice or a
yellowing of the skin and eyes.
The majority of these symptoms are more frequently brought on by
conditions other than stomach cancer. Other cancers may potentially be
responsible for some of these symptoms. However, if any of these issues
persist or worsen, a person should seek medical attention and consult
the best
cancer surgeon in Mumbai and get diagnosed.
The Curability of Stomach Cancer
Stomach cancer is not completely curable. Even chemotherapy, in certain
circumstances radiation, and surgery, can help manage symptoms and
improve the quality of life in many stomach cancer patients that cannot
be fully cured. As long as all of the malignant tissue can be removed,
surgery can treat stomach cancer if it is treatable.
While examining you the doctor can gauge how far cancer has progressed
thanks to staging. Staging for stomach cancer varies from 0 (zero) to IV
(four). Stage 0 indicates that cancer has not progressed past the lining
of your stomach. When it reaches stage IV, it has spread to other
organs.
The course of therapy is determined by the extent of the malignancy, your
health, and your treatment preferences. It frequently involves a care
team composed of your main healthcare practitioner, an oncologist, and a
gastroenterologist (gastroenterologist). On your alternatives for
therapy, they can counsel you. Your doctor could advise surgery to
remove precancerous cells, a tumor, or all or part of your stomach,
depending on how far cancer has gone.
There are the best
cancer hospitals in Mumbai where you should
get the surgery performed if required.
There are two ways in which the surgery is done:
- Upper endoscopy: An upper endoscopy can be used to remove
early-stage stomach cancer that has only spread to the surface
layers of your stomach. A gastroenterologist performs an endoscopic
submucosal dissection or endoscopic mucosal resection during which
the tumor is sliced from the stomach wall and removed through the
mouth.
- Gastrectomy: You’ll require surgery to remove all or a
portion of your stomach after the tumor has progressed beyond the
surface layers of your stomach. The portion of your stomach affected
by the cancer is removed during a subtotal gastrectomy. Your whole
stomach is removed during a total gastrectomy.
In order to continue eating after a complete gastrectomy, your
healthcare professional will reattach your esophagus to your small
intestine.
Besides this, there are other ways for treatment as well which
includes:
- Chemotherapy - Before surgery, (chemo) employs medications to
shrink the cancer cells, making them simpler to remove.
- Radiation - This process uses targeted energy beams like
X-rays to destroy cancer cells.
- Immunotherapy - Helps your immune system identify and destroy
cancer cells that may be hard to detect.
- Palliative care - Palliative care is a type of specialized
medical treatment that may be provided by physicians, nurses, and
other professionals that can assist with symptom reduction. They can
also offer extra assistance to supplement the medical treatment you
get from your usual doctors and nurses.
The Next Step
Many cancer surgery clinics can be found in the vicinity of Mumbai. There
are the best cancer doctors working who will guide you throughout the
process - from getting diagnosed to getting treated. However, one should
not ignore any of the above symptoms and get checked immediately if any
problem arises. Preserve your health and happiness!