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Gastric cancer
Is black stool a sign of stomach cancer?
Black stools might suggest stomach cancer, but most cases are not. Often, factors such as diet structure and medications can lead to transient black stools, which are physiological. For instance, consuming animal blood, foods containing pigments, and certain medications like blood tonics and bismuth drugs protecting the stomach lining can cause transient black stools. Once dietary adjustments are made or related medications are stopped, the stool color usually returns to normal. In pathological conditions, such as acute gastric mucosal lesions and bleeding from gastric or duodenal ulcers, black stools can also occur. Thus, the occurrence of black stools might suggest the possibility of stomach cancer, but in most cases, it likely is not.
Early symptoms of gastric cancer
The early symptoms of gastric cancer are not specific or characteristic in clinical presentations, and there are no specific signs either. It can also be said that there are no symptoms or signs at all. Some patients may be diagnosed with gastric cancer after presenting with symptoms of bleeding, such as vomiting blood, blood in stool, or black stools. Therefore, it is recommended for individuals over 40 years old to consider undergoing gastroscopy, especially if they experience discomfort or pain in the upper abdomen, weight loss, or have a history of poor gastric mucosa conditions seen in previous gastroscopies, including atrophy, intestinal metaplasia, or ulcers, as well as a history of testing positive for Helicobacter pylori. Regular follow-up gastroscopies are advised under these circumstances.
What are the symptoms of gastric cancer?
Symptoms of stomach cancer patients are like those of early-stage stomach cancer patients, who generally present with some nonspecific gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, and discomfort or acid reflux in the upper abdomen, similar to gastrointestinal ulcers or gastritis. These are some of the clinical manifestations of gastrointestinal symptoms. As the tumor progresses and invades the abdominal cavity or surrounding organs, the patient's symptoms will worsen, possibly causing overall abdominal bloating, discomfort, and even severe pain. Other symptoms include ascites, which is fluid accumulation in the abdominal cavity, vomiting, weight loss, anemia, and clinical manifestations such as vomiting blood or black stools, which are symptoms of gastrointestinal bleeding.
What is early-stage gastric cancer?
In the early stages of gastric cancer, the tumor is confined to the mucosa or submucosa, regardless of whether there is regional lymph node metastasis or not; this is still classified as early-stage gastric cancer. The treatment for early-stage gastric cancer primarily involves curative surgery, which is the first option unless the patient is of advanced age or has severe underlying diseases that prevent tolerance of surgical treatment. Excluding these cases, surgical treatment is generally the first choice. Furthermore, the outcome of surgical treatment for patients with early-stage gastric cancer is generally quite positive, with a five-year survival rate typically exceeding 80%.
Is stomach cancer nauseating?
If gastric cancer is complicated by pyloric obstruction, symptoms such as nausea and vomiting may occur. 80% of early gastric cancer does not show obvious symptoms; some people may experience indigestion, as well as anemia, anorexia, and fatigue. If cardia cancer involves the lower part of the esophagus, it can cause difficulty in swallowing, while ulcerative gastric cancer bleeding can lead to vomiting blood or black stools. If gastric cancer metastasizes to the liver, it can cause pain in the upper right abdomen, jaundice, or fever, and if it involves the pancreas, it may cause radiating back pain. If there are long-term symptoms such as indigestion, physical weakness, and loss of appetite, it is advisable to actively visit the department of gastroenterology for a gastroscopy examination.
Can late-stage gastric cancer be treated?
Patients with late-stage gastric cancer generally may not have the opportunity for curative surgery, which is mainly suitable for early-stage gastric cancer patients. For late-stage gastric cancer patients, the treatment plan should be chosen based on the specific condition of the patient. If the patient's general condition is relatively good, chemotherapy can be an option. The type of chemotherapy, whether intravenous combination chemotherapy or oral drugs like tegafur capsules or capecitabine, which generally have milder reactions, depends on the patient's condition. Additionally, late-stage gastric cancer patients can try molecular targeted therapy, such as anti-angiogenesis drugs like apatinib, etc. Therefore, treatment options should be selected based on specific circumstances. The use of medications should be conducted under the guidance of a doctor.
Is chemotherapy for gastric cancer torturous?
The first common side effect of chemotherapy drugs is gastrointestinal reactions, such as nausea, vomiting, decreased appetite, diarrhea, constipation, or bloating, and other such gastrointestinal symptoms. The second is bone marrow suppression, such as decreases in white blood cells and platelets; a decrease in white blood cells can easily lead to infections, and low platelets can lead to a tendency to bleed. There are also liver and kidney damage, numbness of hands and feet in the peripheral nervous system, and clinical symptoms such as fingernail darkening, pigmentation, or hand-foot syndrome caused by fluorouracil. The severity of chemotherapy side effects varies greatly among patients and is related to each patient's general condition, exhibiting significant individual differences. Some patients may experience severe reactions to chemotherapy, while others may have milder reactions. However, during chemotherapy, we provide corresponding symptomatic treatments such as gastric protection, antiemetics, and cardioprotection, among others, to try to minimize the side effects caused by chemotherapy.
What can stomach cancer patients eat?
Gastric cancer refers to a malignant tumor that occurs in the gastric mucosal epithelium. Special attention should be paid to the diet, appropriately supplementing with multivitamins and consuming more fresh foods, such as fresh green vegetables and fruits. The diet should be diverse to avoid favoring certain foods overly and to ensure the intake of a variety of nutrients. It is also necessary to eat some meat for protein, avoid moldy foods, reduce the consumption of pickled, salted, smoked foods, and those rich in nitrites, and avoid the irritation from strong tea, coffee, and hard liquor. In addition to dietary measures, active treatment for early-stage gastric cancer can include endoscopic mucosal resection, or one may opt for a major gastric resection surgery or radiotherapy, while maintaining a good psychological state and sufficient sleep.
Is gastric cancer contagious?
Gastric cancer is a malignant tumor occurring in the epithelial cells of the gastric mucosa. It is non-contagious. Currently, the incidence of gastric cancer is relatively high, primarily due to Helicobacter pylori infection, adverse environmental factors, and dietary irritants. Genetic factors also play a significant role, with 10% of gastric cancer patients having a family history. Those with a family history of gastric cancer have an incidence rate that is 2 to 3 times higher than the general population. Additionally, precancerous lesions can also induce gastric cancer, such as intestinal metaplasia, gastric polyps, residual gastritis, and gastric ulcers. Typical symptoms include indigestion, anemia, lack of appetite, aversion to food, and fatigue. Currently, gastroscopy combined with mucosal biopsy is the most reliable diagnostic method.
What can stomach cancer patients eat?
For patients with gastric cancer, there are no specific dietary taboos, except for avoiding foods that are too spicy or greasy, such as fried foods and barbecued items that are difficult to digest. Additionally, it is advisable to avoid carbonated and very cold foods that may irritate the stomach. The dietary approach should focus on eating smaller, more frequent meals that are easy to digest and bland. However, it is also important to ensure a balanced diet that includes both meat and vegetables to ensure adequate nutrition for the patient.