Stomach cancer, also called gastric cancer. According to the statistics of World Health Organization (WHO), 723,000 cancer-related deaths are caused by stomach cancer each year worldwide. It is the fifth most common cancer worldwide, but the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Once people get stomach cancer, the big concern for them may be the effective treatments for it. This article explain the prevention and treatments of stomach cancer.
There are normally two types of treatments for stomach cancer-Local treatments and systemic treatments. Which specific treatment to be used will be determined by the following: types, sizes and location of the tumor; lab tests result; gastric cancer stages; health condition and ages.
Local treatment :
This method is to remove, destroy or control cancer cells. It affects cells in the tumor and the area immediately surrounding the tumor. Surgery and radiation therapy are of this kind of treatment.
Surgery: It is the most common treatment for stomach cancer. It is to remove the entire tumor and any cancer cells that may have metastasized to nearby tissue. If the entire stomach is removed, this is called a total gastrectomy. If the cancer was caught early enough, the surgeon may be able to remove only a part of the stomach, called a partial or subtotal gastrectomy. Depending on the stage of stomach cancer, surgery may be the only treatment that you need.
Radiation Therapy: It is an external treatment to kill the cancer cells. The goal of radiation is directly to shrink the tumors. Radiation therapy can be done before surgery in some cases to shrink the tumor. However, there are some side effects in radiotherapy. They include decreased appetite, diarrhea, fatigue, nausea and vomiting etc.
Systemic treatment:
Reaches cells throughout the body by traveling through the bloodstream. Chemotherapy is this type of treatment. Systemic treatments are normally used to destroy or control cancer cells. Chemotherapy involves taking medication to fight the cancer. In stomach cancer, the chemotherapy is generalized or systemic, and is usually taken intravenously, but can be administered orally in some cases. As chemotherapy circulates throughout the body, more of the body systems are affected by the treatment. Side effects from chemotherapy include diarrhea, fatigue, hair loss, increased risk of infections, mouth sores, nausea and vomiting.
Medications:
Aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, can lower the risk for getting some kinds of stomach cancer. However, they can cause gastrointestinal bleeding. Many doctors view aspirin or NSAIDs as an added benefit in preventing cancer if you are taking them for other conditions, such as arthritis. But they do not recommend taking them only to reduce your cancer risk.
Prevention:
It seems that some cases of stomach cancer might be prevented. Following methods can reduce the risk of stomach cancer:
Limit the amount of alcohol you drink and do not use tobacco products.
Avoid eating smoked and pickled foods and salted meats and fish.
Eat fresh fruit and vegetable as well as plenty of whole grain foods, such as whole grain breads, cereals, pasta and rice.