Joe was swiping through his Facebook timeline and saw something that caught his attention. The image was of a woman who looked chronically ill and severely thin with a huge tummy, asking for financial help to get rid of her stomach cancer. Joe was filled with so much sorrow; he called the number up and sought information for ways he could help the lady.
Stomach cancer is an abnormal growth of cells in the stomach that may spread beyond it to other parts of the body. Stomach cancer is not common, but when it occurs, may not be noticed until it gets worse.
Like most cancers, stomach cancer starts out as a small sore or lump in the stomach. What causes this kind of cancer?
Risk Factors of Stomach Cancer
The exact cause of stomach cancer is not known, but what is clear is the array of factors that can put you at risk such as:
Development of stomach cancer is slow and often takes several years.
Symptoms of Stomach Cancer
Although stomach cancer may be very quiet in the early stages, it does not stay this way for long. Common symptoms include:
If you have any of these symptoms, speak with your doctor for a proper evaluation as these symptoms are non-specific and can occur in several other conditions.
Treatment of Stomach Cancer
Stomach cancer occurs in stages, and these determine the treatment. In the early stage of the disease, the tumors are restricted to a small area of the stomach. In such cases, surgery to remove these tumors may be all that is needed.
Surgery to remove a large part of your stomach or the entire stomach may be necessary in late stages of the disease. There may also be a need for chemotherapy and radiotherapy, which use medicines and radiation, respectively.
Prevention of Stomach Cancer
You can reduce your risk of stomach cancer by applying the following tips:
Lower your risk today by watching what you eat and how you live.
