Stomach Cancer: Causes, Symptoms, and Surgical Care

Stomach cancer or gastric cancer occurs when cancer cells start to grow in the inner lining of the
stomach and expand uncontrollably, deep into the stomach walls.

How is Stomach Cancer Caused?

Stomach cancer is caused as a result of genetic mutation in the DNA of the stomach cells. This makes
the cells grow rapidly, forming a tumour; and overtake healthy cells, thus spreading to other parts of
the body. While the gene mutation in stomach cells remain the resultant cause of cancer, there are
several risk factors that lead to it –

• Family history of stomach cancer
• Gastritis
• History of stomach ulcers or stomach polyps
• Diet lacking micronutrients, with lesser fruits and vegetables
• High intake of fatty, salty or smoked food
• Consumption of alcohol and tobacco
• Obesity
• Infections and diseases like – Gastroesophageal reflux disease, Autoimmune atrophic
  gastritis, H. pylori
• Other hereditary problems

What are the signs and symptoms of stomach cancer?

Stomach cancer does not show any peculiar or identifiable symptoms in its early stages. Most early
signs are quite common like unexplained wight loss or stomach pain; hence they go unnoticed until
the cancer spreads and becomes more advanced. Other symptoms include –

• Loss of appetite
• Nausea and vomiting
• Perpetual feeling of being bloated or gassy after eating a meal
• Unexplained pain in the stomach
• Indigestion and heartburn
• Chronic fatigue and weakness

Detecting stomach cancer at stage 0 (when the cells have not spread) significantly increases chances
of successful treatment and recovery. However, if treatment begins at a much later stage, it gets
more tedious and makes the chances of recovery slimmer.

If the symptoms associated with stomach cancer become frequent and painful, one should seek
immediate medical help. For diagnosis, the healthcare provider conducts certain procedures to
screen the patient –

• Upper endoscopy – In this procedure, a thin tube with a tiny camera at its tip (endoscope) is
  inserted into the patient’s mouth until it reaches the stomach. Small surgical instruments are
  passed through the tube to remove tissue sample, which are then sent to the laboratory for
  assessment.
• Endoscopic ultrasound – In this procedure, the endoscope comes equipped with an
  ultrasound probe that can capture pictures of the stomach, showing any signs if the cancer
  has spread int the stomach wall.
• Radiological tests like CT scan, MRI, PET scan might be conducted too
• Blood tests might also be conducted to assess overall blood samples and detect if cancer has
  spread to other body parts

If the test results come out to be positive for presence of cancer cells, the patient is directed towards
oncological care.
Depending upon the degree of spread of cancer, the oncologist might recommend surgery to remove
precancerous cells or a tumour from the stomach.

Surgical options for stomach cancer

1. Upper endoscopy – If the cancer is in the early stages and limited to the uppermost layers of
   the stomach, the tumour can be removed via an upper endoscopy. In this procedure, a
   gastrointestinologist performs a cut into the stomach, separating the tumour from the wall
   and removing it from the mouth.
2. Gastrectomy – If the tumour has spread beyond the lining and wall, surgery is performed to
   remove part or all of the stomach. Removal of part of the stomach is called subtotal
   gastrectomy, while that of whole stomach is known as total gastrectomy.

Other treatment methods are focused at killing cancer cells directly –

• Chemotherapy is done by using drugs to shrink cancer cells
• Radiation is done by using targeted energy beams to destroy cancer cells. It is often used
  with chemotherapy as chemoradiation therapy to kill cancer cells
• Targeted drug therapy used to avoid any relapse of cancer cells. It attacks and kills any
  remaining cancerous cells in the body. Another technique used for recurring or advanced
  cancer is immunotherapy, which helps the immune system to identify and destroy cancer
  cells

Yashoda Superspeciality Hospital & Cancer Institutes, Sanjay Nagar, Ghaziabad, is backed with
one of the best oncological and gastrointestinal care in Delhi NCR to treat patients with stomach
cancer.

Find Best Hospital/Doctors for Stomach Cancer in Delhi NCR | India

Dr. (Brig.) A.K. Tyagi is the Director of Surgical Oncology at Yashoda Hospital, Sanjay Nagar,
Ghaziabad. With over 35 years of experience as a Cancer Surgeon and several decades in the
Indian Army, Dr. Tyagi is an expert when it comes to any type of cancer. Trained at both
laparoscopic and robotic surgical systems, Dr. (Brig.) A.K. Tyagi has treated over thousands of
patients successfully, helping them lead cancer free lives.
Dr. (Maj. Gen.) B.N. Kapur is the Director of Medical Oncology at Yashoda Hospital, Sanjay
Nagar, Ghaziabad and is one of the best oncologists in Delhi NCR. He is skilled in treating
solid organ cancer using latest evidence-based therapies and specialises in Hematolymphoid
malignancy, paediatric tumour, bone marrow transplantation, and all solid tumours.
Dr. (Maj.Gen.) Dharmesh S. Swaroop comes with an experience of over three decades in the
field of medical oncology. Currently serving as the Director of Medical Oncology at Yashoda
Hospital, Sanjay Nagar, Ghaziabad, his specialisations include – gynaecological malignancies,
GI malignancies, and malignancies of the breasts.
For bookings or appointments, please reach out to us on our toll-free number –
9810709038, 0120-4612000.