Stomach cancer
With over one million deaths per year being caused by stomach cancer, it is the fourth worst cause of cancer worldwide. The primary know that stomach cancer, but you might not know that it can affect the esophagus, the lungs, and the liver. Stomach cancer is most common in certain parts of Asia, Great Britain, and South America, but represents approximately 2% of all new cases of cancer every year.
The survival rates for those affected with stomach cancer are approximately 65% for those that discover it early, but unfortunately those that discover it late have a survival rate of only 15%. This doesn’t mean that stomach cancer can’t be treated, but like all forms of cancer need to be very careful and see a doctor at the first sign of symptoms. The problem now, is that most early signs of stomach cancer are not easily attributed to the disease. However, some of the earliest symptoms of stomach cancer are indigestion and loss of appetite, some of these kind of symptoms suddenly appear out of nowhere then you might need to talk to your doctor about it.
The reason is stomach cancer so deadly is that it metastasizes very quickly, which will lead to severe abdominal pain, a major change in appetite, severe weight loss, and fatigue. Generally these symptoms will appear together at this point an accurate diagnosis is much easier. To diagnose stomach cancer, a doctor might perform several different tests of the gastrointestinal tract and abdominal area. A CT scan might be in order, or your doctor might prefer a gastrostopic exam, which involves using a fiber-optic camera to inspect the walls of the stomach and intestinal area.
Some of the leading causes of stomach cancer are poor diet and bacterial infection, but there are also several other rarer forms of etiology. In regards to diets, the most common issues leading to stomach cancer are diets high in salt and well in fruits and vegetables. Those that smoke cigarettes are also at higher risk for colon cancer as well as several other forms of cancer. Unfortunately for men, they are three times more likely than females to be affected by this disease.
The treatments for stomach cancer vary, but the most common is surgery to remove some or all of the stomach. They’re also several prescription medications that can be used to combat cancer, especially if it was found in an early stage. Unfortunately, if it is not discovered until later stages than a combination of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation is the most likely treatment. As painful as these treatments might sound, they are far better than succumbing to the disease.
If you’re a tendency to suffer from gastrointestinal or other stomach issues, then I recommend monitoring them with the help of a doctor to make sure that they don’t get any worse. This is especially true if you are a male and have a poor diet, because you are the group with the greatest risk of being hit by this disease. The best way to moderate your diet is to reduce salt intake and make sure that you’re eating plenty of fibrous vegetables. You also might want to consider a steady exercise routine, which has been shown to improve digestion and could help to decrease your intestinal issues.
If you do become diagnosed with colon cancer, don’t lose hope. There are several treatments available to help use to send stomach cancer into remission, so make sure that you see your doctor and do everything you can to come out on top. In the meantime, take good care of yourself with proper diet and exercise and do your part for preventing it from happening to you.
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