Symptoms of stomach cancer

Symptoms of stomach cancer can diagnose the disease of the gastrointestinal tract and start the necessary treatment on time. Let's consider what is stomach cancer, how to determine it and most importantly, how to cure this disease.

Gastric cancer is a serious disease that occurs due to precancerous, pathological processes. To diagnose this cancer on an early stage is very difficult. Difficulties arise because of the huge symptomatology of the disease and the absence of a clearly expressed picture of the disease.

Symptoms of stomach cancer appear due to growth in the tissues of the body of malignant cells. Almost 90% of cancers are adenocarciomas that appear from malignant cells lining the walls of the stomach. In some cases, there are lymphomas, which constitute between 3 and 7% of cancers in the gastrointestinal tract. Both the first and second cancers must be accurately diagnosed by symptoms, since the neglect of the disease can lead to a fatal outcome.

Adenocarciomas can not be diagnosed in the early stages, they can only be diagnosed after they have grown to a size so that they can be surgically removed. All this leads to the fact that the diagnosis of stomach cancer and the study of the symptoms of the disease is a complex process that only professionals can do. But if the cancer of the stomach in time to begin to heal, then the disease will recede and will not bear the deadly consequences.

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Early symptoms of stomach cancer

The early symptoms of stomach cancer are very difficult to track, but with their help you can diagnose the onset of a serious illness. The first symptoms of stomach cancer are very vague and meager. Both patients and doctors often consider early gastric cancer symptoms as gastritis or peptic ulcer. Therefore, all treatment is limited to taking various medications and adherence to a special diet, but the cancerous disease continues to progress. If you carefully treat the symptoms of the disease at an early stage, you can track a number of symptoms that allow you to diagnose stomach cancer.

For the first time the symptoms of stomach cancer at an early stage were diagnosed by the well-known oncologist LI Savitsky. It was Savitsky who introduced such a concept as the syndrome of small features. By themselves, these symptoms do not represent anything significant, but they allow experienced oncologists to diagnose stomach cancer at an early stage. 

• The early stages of the development of stomach cancer for a long time do not show any symptoms and do not cause the patient discomfort. Sometimes the symptoms of stomach cancer in the early stages present themselves in the form of polyps and gastritis, that is, precancerous diseases. Often, this fact is the cause of late seeking medical help. So, according to statistics, more than 80% of patients seek medical help only in the late stages of stomach cancer. From the onset of the disease and the earliest symptoms of stomach cancer passes no more than a year. 
• Some patients in the early stages of stomach cancer may have gastric discomfort - heaviness in the epistal region, heartburn or belching with air. Common symptoms of stomach cancer are very rare. Symptoms of stomach cancer in the early stages largely depend on the location of the tumor. This relationship can be traced only with developed forms of stomach cancer.

Bright symptoms of stomach cancer begin to appear in the last stages. Patients begin to suffer constant headaches, which are given back, vomiting, weakness, anemia and greatly progressive weight loss are also possible. If the patient is experiencing stenosis, that is narrowing the output of the stomach due to a tumor, then after eating, there is a feeling of overeating, belching, vomiting, nausea. In addition to these symptoms, the appearance of the patient also changes. The skin becomes pale and loses its elasticity, in the last stages of stomach cancer, the skin assumes an earthy tinge.

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The first symptoms of stomach cancer

The first symptoms of stomach cancer are manifested in causeless weakness and changes in well-being. The patient feels constantly tired, and the level of working capacity is also significantly reduced. Decreased appetite and even aversion to food - also attributed to the first symptoms of stomach cancer. In addition, the patient has gastric discomfort, a feeling of heaviness from a small meal, nausea, vomiting.

The first symptoms of stomach cancer are accompanied by a sharp slimming, which is accompanied by pale skin, a depressed state, loss of interest in others, work, complete alienation and apathy. All these symptoms can manifest in a perfectly healthy person, as well as a person who has only suffered a gastric disease, ulcer, gastritis or other.

As the disease progresses, the tumor grows, which gives the body new symptoms of stomach cancer:

• Diarrhea, constipation, stool. 
• Increase in the size of the abdomen due to accumulated fluid in the abdominal cavity, that is ascites. 
• After eating, there is a feeling of heaviness and nausea, sometimes vomiting occurs. 
• Sharp, uncontrollable weight loss. 
• Pain in the upper abdomen that surround the back. 
• If the tumor has destroyed the vessels, gastrointestinal bleeding may occur.

In the case of gastric bleeding, the patient feels a sharp weakness, in some cases there may be a loss of consciousness. And also there is a strong vomiting with dark blood with clots and black stool. If the tumor breaks, the patient develops peritonitis, which is accompanied by severe pain in the abdomen, high fever.

Basically, stomach cancer affects the elderly and middle-aged people. It is the stage of the development of the disease that makes it possible to predict the outcome and prescribe the treatment. Note that the first stages of stomach cancer are amenable to treatment and they have a favorable prognosis. If you want to avoid the possibility of getting stomach cancer, then reconsider your habits. Refuse from smoking and alcohol abuse, on time treat diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and gastritis.

Symptoms of stomach and bowel cancer

Symptoms of cancer of the stomach and intestines at the initial stage of development are very small, so they are difficult to determine. Let's look at the main symptoms of stomach and bowel cancer:

• Discomfort, pain and discomfort in the navel. 
• Nausea, vomiting, dizziness. 
• The feeling of heaviness after every meal and rapid saturation. 
• Difficulty swallowing, decreased appetite or lack of it. 
• There may be bleeding, which is due to the fact that cancer cells corrode blood vessels. 
• Apathy, weakness, fast fatigue.

Symptoms of cancer of the stomach and intestines can have a latent flow. Gradually the symptoms manifest themselves in the form of intestinal obstruction and colitis. The most informative symptom of cancer of the stomach and intestines is the presence of blood in vomiting and feces.

Symptoms of stomach and esophagus cancer

Stomach cancer, like esophageal cancer, is the most common disease, almost 90% of esophageal lesions are cancerous tumors. The esophagus consists of three parts, the third one is considered to be the most vulnerable, which is located at the level of the 4-6 thoracic vertebra.

The main symptoms of cancer of the stomach and esophagus:

• The disease is virtually asymptomatic or disguised as an inflammatory disease.
• The first symptom of a cancer of the esophagus is a feeling of discomfort, burning and discomfort in the chest area, which can be diagnosed as esophagitis.
• Symptoms also include difficulties in dysphagia and swallowing. It is this symptom that signals a large tumor that narrows the esophagus. Dysphagia begins to develop slowly, stage by stage.

1. In the first stage - pain when swallowing solid food, during meals you have to drink the food with water.
2. In the second stage - it is difficult to swallow even the mushy food.
3. At the third stage - it is almost impossible to drink liquid because of severe pain.
4. At the fourth stage - complete obstruction of the esophagus due to which there is apathy and fatigue.

Symptoms of ring-cell carcinoma of the stomach

Ringworm-cell carcinoma of the stomach is the histological form of the carcinoma of the stomach. The disease is characterized by the fact that the tumor is more than 50% composed of cells, with mucin, which is contained in the cytoplasm. Mucins are a glycoprotein with polysaccharides. The main function of mucin is to protect the body from viruses and infectious diseases.

The following symptoms of gastric carcinoma of the stomach are distinguished: 

• Vomiting.
• Nausea.
• Belching.
• Painful sensations in the stomach.
• Digestive disorders.
• Pain when swallowing.
• Weight loss.
• Decreased appetite.
• Gastric bleeding in feces and vomiting.

Please note that in the early stages of the disease does not make itself felt, and the symptomatology of the ring-cell carcinoma of the stomach is very difficult to notice. But this is very dangerous, as the disease quickly and quickly passes from the first stage to the last - irreversible.

Stages of stomach cancer

As with all cancers, there are stages of stomach cancer. Gastric cancer is divided into four stages, depending on the strength and extent of organ damage and the spread of cancer. Consider the main symptoms and features of each of them.

• Zero stage of stomach cancer - cancer cells are found in the mucous membrane of the stomach, but not in more than 6 lymph nodes. It is practically impossible to diagnose the zero stage of stomach cancer. Medicine knows not many cases when the zero stage was correctly diagnosed according to the symptoms of the patient. 
• The first stage of stomach cancer - there are submucous tumors and cancer cells, but no more than 6 lymph nodes. If the cancer cells are larger, then it is a subserous tumor, but the cancer cells do not spread to neighboring organs or lymph nodes. 
• The second stage of stomach cancer - the tumor spread under the mucous membrane. Cancer cells affected 7 to 15 lymph nodes. In other cases, if at this stage no more than 6 lymph nodes are affected, the underlying tumor may be in the muscle layer. The peculiarity of this stage is that the tumor did not affect the lymph nodes, but penetrated the outer layer. 
• The third stage of stomach cancer - the tumor is in the muscle layer and spread to no more than 15 lymph nodes. But the tumor is located in the outer layer and also in no more than 15 lymph nodes, the tumor affected the spleen and liver. 
• The fourth stage of stomach cancer - cancer cells have spread to more than 15 lymph nodes. You can also diagnose cancer in other organs that are located next to the stomach.

Symptoms of stomach cancer in stage 1

Gastric cancer 1 stage - a tumor affected less than six lymph nodes and muscle tissue in the affected organ. The tumor is completely formed. There is a classification of stomach cancer of stage 1, the stage has two degrees of A and B. Gastric cancer 1 stage, symptoms of grade A are characterized by the spread of cancer cells throughout the gastric mucosa. With degree B in the first stage, cancer cells affect up to 6 lymph nodes that affect the muscles of the diseased organ or are located in the area of the tumor lesion.

Very often, the stomach cancer of the first stage is confused with symptoms with peptic ulcer. Therefore, it is necessary to look carefully at the symptoms of the disease and, with the slightest change, go for a full examination to the doctor. First of all, pay attention to the process of eating, have your taste preferences changed, do you feel heaviness after eating? All this may well be the result of cell mutation and the onset of the first stage of stomach cancer.

Symptoms of stomach cancer in 2 stages

The second stage of stomach cancer is a severe lesion of the serous layer of the organ wall. During cancer of the 2nd stage of cancer, about 15 lymph nodes and the entire mucous membrane of the stomach is affected.

Stomach cancer 2 stage, symptoms and basic characteristics:

• The tumor has spread to the entire mucous membrane, because of this, after eating, vomiting and burning sensation inside occurs. •
• A cancerous tumor affects not only the walls of the stomach, but also other organs.
• In the second stage of stomach cancer, there are 2 degrees - A and B.

Stomach cancer of the second stage, degree A:

• The tumor was formed, but did not spread beyond the inner layer of the stomach. 
• Cancer cells progress in more than six lymph nodes. 
• The tumor struck the muscle layer of the stomach.

Gastric cancer of the second stage, degree B:

• The tumor is limited in the spread of the inner layer of the gastric tissue and affects more than 7 lymph nodes. 
• The tumor spread beyond the outer layer of the stomach, but has not yet affected the lymph nodes of other organs.

Gastric cancer 3 stage, symptoms

Gastric cancer is stage 3, the symptoms of the first and second stages are aggravated by sharp pains in the abdomen, which are given in the back, and internal bleeding is also possible. At the third stage of stomach cancer, only certain organs and lymph nodes are not affected. The tumor affects nearby organs, metastases go to the spleen, liver and intestines.

Gastric cancer in 3 stages is divided into 3 degrees A, B, C, each of which depends on the nature of the spread of the disease.

Gastric cancer of the 3rd stage, degree A:

• The tumor progresses in the muscle layer of the stomach and affects at least seven lymph nodes. 
• Perhaps a cancerous tumor has struck all the layers of the stomach, and cancer cells are progressing in a pair of lymph nodes.

Gastric cancer of the 3rd stage, degree B:

• The tumor overgrew the outer walls of the stomach and affected more than seven lymph nodes. 
• Perhaps, the tumor also penetrated into the surrounding tissues and cancer cells in no more than 2-3 lymph nodes.

Stomach cancer 3 stages, grade C:

• The tumor spread beyond the outer wall of the stomach and struck from 3 to 6 lymph nodes. 
• In addition to the stomach, several other organs are affected.

Gastric Cancer Stage 4, symptoms

At the fourth stage of stomach cancer almost the entire lymphatic system of the body is affected. The tumor has captured all the organs that are near and gradually spreads to the peripheral ones. At this stage of the disease, no more than 15% of patients survive.

Stomach cancer of the 4th stage is an irreversible and uncontrolled process that provokes the growth of tumor cells into neighboring tissues and organs. Tumor metastases are formed even in neighboring organs and organs that are far from the stomach.

Stomach cancer 4 stages, symptoms:

• The tumor affected the bones, brain, liver and pancreas. 
• At this stage of the disease, cancerous growths are very rapidly growing. 
• In addition to cancer of the stomach can develop bone cancer.

Treatment of the fourth stage of cancer is almost impossible, but the specialist must perform the following tasks:

• Limit and reduce the spread of the tumor. 
• Do everything possible to stop the tumor process. 
• Avoid all possible complications and maintain the functioning and viability of organs and systems.

How to identify stomach cancer?

How to determine the cancer of the stomach, if diagnosed this disease in the early stages is very difficult? Symptoms of stomach cancer are very diverse and completely depend on the shape and size of the tumor, as well as the stage of the disease, the location of the tumor and the background on which a tumor disease has appeared. Note that the signs of the disease are practically independent of the histological parameters of the tumor. As a rule, with stomach cancer, symptoms of complications come to the fore, for example, profuse bleeding from a disintegrating tumor, stenosis from the stomach or perforation.

Symptoms of stomach cancer can be divided into general and local.

Local symptoms:

• Dull pain in upper abdomen.
• Belching.
• Vomiting.
• Nausea.
• Aversion to certain types of food.
• Decreased appetite.
• Disgafia.
• Fast saturation during eating.
• Gastric discomfort.
• Heaviness after eating in the epigastric region.

The frequency of manifestation of the above symptoms allows you to determine the cancer of the stomach. The frequency of symptoms depends entirely on the size of the tumor and its location.

Common manifestations:

• Fast fatiguability.
• Excessive unreasonable weight loss.
• Excitability.
• Apathy.
• Irritability.
• Unmotivated general weakness.

As a rule, it is these symptoms that make it possible to identify stomach cancer, which is a vast defeat. If the patient exhibits common symptoms, then this is one of the last stages of stomach cancer.

Prognosis for stomach cancer

The prognosis for stomach cancer enables the patient to learn about his chances of recovery. The most favorable prognosis is put at the first stage of cancer, with the survival rate of patients up to 90%. At 2 and 3 stages of stomach cancer, the prognosis depends on the number of metastases that are in the lymph nodes. At 4 stages of stomach cancer, the forecast is most unfavorable and the possibility of recovery can only be after the tumor has been completely removed.

Gastric cancer, symptoms, and prognosis are completely dependent on the stage of the disease, which manifests itself in the number of cancer tumors localized on the gastric mucosa. Among cancer diseases, stomach cancer ranks second, on the first is lung cancer.

Symptoms of stomach cancer appear in patients who are older than 50 years. Early diagnosis of gastric cancer involves annual prevention and screening. Do not forget that timely diagnosis of stomach cancer allows you to start treatment on time, this allows you to make the most optimistic forecast.

Symptoms of stomach cancer allow time to diagnose and heal the disease. Survival of patients with stomach cancer is no more than 20%. Such a low percentage is the impossibility of treatment because of the diagnosis of the disease at a late stage. But do not forget that every case of cancer is individual and depends on the age, health and lifestyle of the patient.