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Gastric%20cancer Signs and Symptoms
Introduction
- Fifth most common cancer and third most common cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide
- In Japan, this is the most common type of cancer in men
- Most common sites of gastric cancer are the proximal lesser curvature, cardia and esophagogastric junction
Definition
- Cancers originating in the esophagus, esophagogastric junction and stomach
- Most of gastric cancers (over 95%) are adenocarcinomas, subdivided according to histological appearances into diffuse (undifferentiated) and intestinal (well-differentiated) types (Lauren classification)
Signs and Symptoms
- Early stage gastric cancer rarely causes symptoms
- Most commonly diagnosed at an advanced stage
- Dyspepsia is the early stage symptom
- Advanced stage signs and symptoms include:
- Poor appetite
- Weight loss
- Dysphagia
- Abdominal pain
- Vague abdominal discomfort, usually above the navel
- A sense of fullness in the upper abdomen after eating a small meal (early satiety)
- Heartburn or indigestion
- Nausea and vomiting
- Swelling or fluid build-up in the abdomen
- Iron-deficiency anemia
Risk Factors
- Male
- Old age (>50 years old)
- Helicobacter pylori infection
- Usually the major cause
- Cigarette/tobacco use
- Previous gastric surgery eg partial gastrectomy
- Menetrier’s disease or hypertrophic gastropathy
- Atrophic gastritis
- Diet that has large amounts of smoked foods, salted fish and meat and pickled vegetables
- Nitrates and nitrites on these foods have shown to produce bacteria that causes cancer
- Stomach lymphoma
- Pernicious anemia
- Type A blood
- Overweight or obesity
- Inherited cancer syndromes (3-5%) eg hereditary diffuse gastric cancer, hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer, familial adenomatous polyposis, breast cancer, Li-Fraumeni syndrome, juvenile polyposis syndrome, Peutz-Jeghers syndrome
- Family history of stomach cancer (5-10%)
- Epstein-Barr virus
- Certain occupations eg coal, metal and rubber industry workers
- Common variable immune deficiency
