Gastric Cancer

COM/172 - ELEMENTS OF UNIVERSITY COMPOSITION AND COMMUNICATION II
August 22nd, 2012 JULIA REEVES

Gastric Cancer Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States next to heart disease. Cancer is not only a disease but it is a general term for many different types of disease. It is a disease from which abnormal cells are divided without control and then invade into other tissues within the body. Cancer begin in cells, the body’s basic unit of life. Cells grow, divide, and produce to make more cells for the body to remain healthy and productive. When cells are damaged or old, they die and become replaced by new cells. However, sometimes the process does not carry on properly and cells that should die do not but, instead they divide uncontrollably and become extra cells. These cells form into a mass of tissue, known as a tumor, which is often spread through the blood and lymph systems. As the cardia tumors continue to increase and grow, the gastric cancer decreases. There are over one hundred different types of cancer including breast, lung, prostate, colon, bone, lymphoma, brain, skin, thyroid, and pancreas. Among the different types of cancer there are many categories of cancer, which are are grouped into carcinoma, sarcoma, leukemia, central nervous system cancer and lymphoma and myeloma. Cancer has grown to become one of the world’s most common killers annually. Cancer has a high mortality rate; therefore, people should be more attentive to their health and everyday lifestyles. To decrease the risk of cancer, one should focus on healthy eating habits, exercising and, see a physician for routine check-ups. With different types of cancer worldwide, gastric cancer has become the second most common cancer and in developing countries of almost two-thirds of cases of diseases worldwide. Gastric cancer is the fourth most common cancer that affects the digestive tract in most men over the age of forty and the fifth most common for women, and appearing to be the mortality major health problem of the common cause of cancer worldwide. There are several types of cancer that can occur within the stomach. The most common type is Adenocarcinoma, which is derived from single cells. There are two types of adenocarcinoma that is based on the location of the cancer, depending on the cardia, proximal, distal and noncardia adenocarcinomas. They are considered split entities due to a differentiation in the relationships, risk factors and prognosis. Generally, gastric cancer symptoms are not shown at first but as the cells continue to grow, most symptoms become apparent and expressed with multidrug-resistance of protein with anti-cancer drugs showing low sensitivity. Many conditions influence the development of gastric cancer such as the family history of gastric cancer, history of chronic atrophic gastritis, history of pernicious anemia, obesity, alcohol, smoking, red meat and pylori infection (common bacteria that can also cause stomach ulcers). Pylori infection causes bacterial strains which increases the risk of gastric cancer as well. These symptoms include bloating, gas, heartburn, sense of fullness, discomfort or pain in the stomach region, nausea, vomiting blood, weight loss, and, blood in the stool. Next to these symptoms minor problems, such as ulcers and infections may occur. Along with these symptoms, a variety of mutations lead up to cancer. Similar to genes, gastrointestinal polyp formation increases the risk of tumor suppression. Consulting with a physician is always important when health issues are concerned. When these problems occur, one should receive a physical examination to check for swollen lymph nodes. Lymph nodes are located in several places throughout the body. An endoscopy examination occurs when the physician examines the interior of the stomach by use of a very small illuminated camera. The camera is inserted through the mouth, fed down the esophagus and into the interior of the stomach. Samples of cells and tissues will be removed during an assessment, known as a biopsy. A complete blood count (CBC) that examines anemia and a stool test to check for blood within the stool. While staging cancer, the diagnosis stage will remain the same but the more information conducted during the examination will explain the current status of the disease. The staging system that diagnosis the cancer’s spread is called, “The TNM System”, which contains three key pieces of information. “T” describes the extent of the primary tumor on how far it has grown into the wall of the stomach and into the nearby organs. “N” describes the spread to nearby lymph nodes and the “M” indicates whether the cancer is metastatic or secondary. This means the disease has spread to other organs throughout the body. The most common areas that stomach cancer spreads to are the lymph nodes, the liver, the intestines, and the inner lining around the digestive organs, excluding the less common organs of the lungs and also the brain. The TMN Chart consists of numbers and the letters “x” and “is” to its severity. Due to the fact that every person is different and each situation unique, there is no precise survival rate determined, however the rate within a five year sequence of patients diagnosed are approximately twenty-eight percent within the United States. The survival rate for cancer is higher in the lower part of the stomach than the upper part. There is not much clarity on what exactly causes stomach cancer, however there are several ways to prevent it just by changing one’s every day routine. Simply eating more fruits and vegetables within a diet, including at least thirty minutes of physical activity as a daily routine, such as walking the block will boost the metabolism. Reducing the amount of salty foods, processed meat, the use of aspirin or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and avoiding smoking will decrease the risk of gastric cancer and other stomach problems up to approximately fifty percent. The severity of the tumors depends on the count of invasions on the stomach wall and the lymph nodes involved whether there is a cure. If the tumor has spread outside the stomach the cure has decreased and could possible endure symptoms. The only treatment for gastric cancer that can kill the disease involves partial removal of the stomach. Treatments that can improve survival but not curable are surgical bypass, radiation and chemo therapy, which often improve the opportunity to be restored to health. Chemotherapy and radiation are used within the advanced stage of the disease. The type of treatment used depends on how advanced the cancer is but some patients opt to not undergo radiation due to the severity of its side effects. The common side effects of chemotherapy and radiation are nausea, weakness, and most commonly, hair loss. Many diseases run in the families, within the immediate relatives, such as the parents, children, and siblings, of patients with cancers, often have an increased risk of inheriting the cancer gene. Prevention programs are very successful. These programs are somewhat cost effective with detecting the early stages of the disease. Refraining from the use of tobacco products, liquor, and choosing an effective daily diet are very efficient ways to avoid the hardships that any type of cancer can bring to one’s life. Living a healthy life is always important, regardless if the diagnosis is cancer or any other harmful disease. Continuing to consult with a physician, maintaining a consistent diet with exercise are the basic yet successful steps of being healthy. Regardless of the health status, continue to remain positive mentally.

Reference

Zali, Hakimeh Rezaei-Tavirani,Azodi, Mona. University of Phoenix. (2011). Gastric cancer: prevention, risk factors and treatment.. Retrieved from Zali, Hakimeh Rezaei-Tavirani,Azodi, Mona. University of Phoenix, COM/172 - ELEMENTS OF UNIVERSITY COMPOSITION AND COMMUNICATION II website.

Nozaki I; Nasu J; Kubo Y; Tanada M; Nishimura R; Kurita A, University of Phoenix . (2010). Risk factors for metachronous gastric cancer in the remnant stomach after early cancer surgery.. Retrieved from Nozaki I; Nasu J; Kubo Y; Tanada M; Nishimura R; Kurita A, University of Phoenix , COM/172 - ELEMENTS OF UNIVERSITY COMPOSITION AND COMMUNICATION II website.

David C. Dugdale, III, MD,Yi-Bin Chen, David Zieve. (2011). Gastric cancer Cancer - stomach; Stomach cancer; Gastric carcinoma; Adenocarcinoma of the stomach. Retrieved from David C. Dugdale, III, MD,Yi-Bin Chen, David Zieve, COM/172 - ELEMENTS OF UNIVERSITY COMPOSITION AND COMMUNICATION II website.

National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health. (2011). Stomach (Gastric) Cancer. Retrieved from National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health, COM/172 - ELEMENTS OF UNIVERSITY COMPOSITION AND COMMUNICATION II website.