When there is a buildup of abnormal cells in the stomach, the condition is stomach cancer or gastric cancer. Cancer can develop in any portion of the stomach. It is a deadly disease and is the cause of many cancer-related deaths in the whole world. Adenocarcinoma is a major type of stomach cancer. The beginning of this type is in the mucus-producing cells of the stomach. These cells form a lining of the stomach. If there is early detection of stomach cancer by an oncologist doctor in Kolkata, a complete cure is possible.

Symptoms

There are various symptoms of stomach cancer. The symptoms at the early stage of stomach cancer are:

  • Difficulty in swallowing
  • Feeling full even after eating a small amount
  • Pain in the stomach
  • Heartburn
  • Prolonged indigestion
  • Vomiting with blood

When the stomach cancer reaches an advanced stage, the following symptoms may also appear:

  • Accumulation of fluid in the stomach
  • Anaemia
  • Black stool with blood
  • Weight loss
  • Loss of appetite

Risk factors

Your risk of developing stomach cancer can increase due to the following factors:

  • An abundance of smoked and salty foods in your diet
  • Lack of fruits and vegetables in your diet
  • Heliobacter pylori infection
  • Inflammation in the stomach for a long time
  • Family history of stomach cancer
  • Polyps in the stomach
  • Smoking

Diagnosis

The tests and procedures for diagnosing stomach cancer are:

  • Upper endoscopy: The doctor passes a thin tube with a tiny camera down your throat and it ultimately moves into your stomach. He/she checks the area for signs of cancer. The doctor can collect a tissue sample for a biopsy if there are any suspicious areas.

  • Imaging tests: Barium swallow, a special type of X-ray, and computerized tomography (CT) scans are effective for detecting stomach cancers.

Treatment

Surgery is a treatment option for stomach cancer. Gastrectomy is an important surgical procedure. It is of two types and a gastrointestinal surgeon in Kolkata can go for any of them.

Subtotal or partial gastrectomy

When cancer is confined in the upper area of the stomach, this procedure gives positive results. Along with a portion of the stomach, the surgeon sometimes also removes a portion of the esophagus or the duodenum. He/she then reattaches the remaining part.

Total gastrectomy

There are both open and laparoscopic approaches to this procedure. The surgeon makes a large cut in your abdomen during open gastrectomy. During the laparoscopic approach, a laparoscopic surgeon in Kolkata makes several small incisions in the abdomen. The surgeon removes the entire stomach and also some of the nearby organs and tissues if necessary. He/she then attaches the end of the esophagus with to a portion of the small intestine. The food can move down the intestinal tract as a result of this.

After the surgery, the patient has to follow some instructions and visit the doctor for regular checkups.