2012

Stomach Cancer

By: Jazmin

Verde Valle

S T O M A C H C A N C E R

Signs and symptoms

Blood in the stool, abdominal pain and discomfort, peristent nausea and/or vomiting, loss of appetite, abdominal bloating, changes in bowel habits,f eeling excessively tired, losing weight.

Advanced stomach cancer.

Stomach cancer is often either asymptomatic (producing no noticeable symptoms) or it may cause only nonspecific symptoms (symptoms which are not specific to just stomach cancer, but also to other related or unrelated disorders) in its early stages. By the time symptoms occur, the cancer has often reached an advanced stage (see below) and may have also metastasized (spread to other, perhaps distant, parts of the body), which is one of the main reasons for its relatively poor prognosis.[citation needed] Stomach cancer can cause the following signs and symptoms:

STAGE 1 (EARLY)

Indigestion or a burning sensation (heartburn)

Loss of appetite, especially for meat

Abdominal discomfort or irritation

STAGE 2 (MIDDLE)

Weakness and fatigue

Bloating of the stomach, usually after meals

STAGE 3 (LATE)

Abdominal pain in the upper abdomen

Nausea and occasional vomiting

Diarrhea or constipation

Weight loss

Bleeding (vomiting blood or having blood in the stool) which will appear as black. This can lead to anemia.

Dysphagia; this feature suggests a tumor in the cardia or extension of the gastric tumor in to the esophagus.

Causes

Infection by Helicobacter pylori is believed to be the cause of most stomach cancer while autoimmune atrophic gastritis, intestinal metaplasia and various genetic factors are associated with increased risk levels. The Merck Manual states that diet plays no role in the genesis of stomach cancer. However, the American Cancer Society lists the following dietary risks, and protective factors, for stomach cancer: "smoked foods, salted fish and meat, and pickled vegetables (appear to increase the risk of stomach cancer.) Nitrates and nitrites are substances commonly found in cured meats. They can be converted by certain bacteria, such as H. pylori, into compounds that have been found to cause stomach cancer in animals. On the other hand, eating fresh fruits and vegetables that contain antioxidant vitamins (such as A and C) appears to lower the risk of stomach cancer." A December 2009 article in American Journal of Clinical

Nutrition found a statistically significant inverse correlation between higher adherence to a Mediterranean Dietary Pattern and stomach cancer.

Who Gets Stomach Cancer?

While the underlying causes of stomach cancer are still unclear, some groups of people have higher rates than others. Researchers are studying these populations for clues on how to prevent this cancer in the future.

Stomach cancer rarely affects people under age 40, and is most often found in people over the age of 55

Stomach cancer is twice as common in men as in women.

Stomach cancer is more common in people of African descent than in people of Caucasian descent.

Stomach cancer is more common in some parts of the world than in the United States.

What Probabilities you have for living or dieying when you have

stomach cancer.

44%

45%

46%

47%

48%

49%

50%

51%

52%

53%

54%

life

die

Firts Stage

Second Stage

Third Stage

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Signs and symptoms. .................................................................. 2

Stages ............................................................................................... 3

Causes. ................................................................................................ 3

Who gets Stomach Cancer ?. .................................................... 4

What probabilities you have for living or dieying when you have Stomach Cancer. ........................................... 4

Stages of the Stomach Cancer (images)................................5

Table of Contents .......................................................................... 6