Cancerous cells can grow just about anywhere in the body, including the stomach. The stomach can develop both benign and malignant tumors, and while benign tumors aren’t dangerous to your health, malignant tumors are dangerous and need to be removed as soon as possible to prevent the cancer from spreading to nearby organs. Our Honolulu, HI, gastroenterologist Dr. Jeong Kim understands that receiving a diagnosis of stomach cancer can be shocking, but the team at GI Health Hawaii can sit down with you to discuss your treatment options.
What are the risk factors associated with stomach cancer?
While we don’t always know why some people develop stomach cancer and others don’t, we do know that there are certain factors that could increase your chances of developing stomach cancer over your lifetime. Some of these risk factors include,
- pylori infection
- Chronic stomach inflammation (often caused by pernicious anemia)
- Epstein-Barr viral infection
- Smoking
- Genetics/family history
- Gender (men are twice as likely to develop stomach cancer as women)
- Older age
- Poor diet
- Obesity
What are the warning signs of stomach cancer?
Like many forms of cancer, stomach cancer often won’t cause symptoms in the very early stages; however, as the cancer spreads you may start to notice,
- Sudden feelings of fullness, even when eating smaller meals
- Indigestion
- Abdominal pain and/or swelling
- Unexpected and sudden weight loss
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea and vomiting
As you can see, the list of symptoms is truly not unique to stomach cancer and experiencing these symptoms does not necessarily mean that you have cancer. In fact, there are many minor conditions and diseases that could be to blame; however, if you are experiencing these symptoms, it’s a good idea to turn to our team of gastroenterologists to find out what’s going on and to rule out stomach cancer.
How is stomach cancer treated?
If you or a loved one is diagnosed with stomach cancer, the best treatment option will depend on how advanced the cancer is. Some common ways to treat stomach cancer include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy, as well as immunotherapy and surgery. In many cases, surgery is the gold standard for treating stomach cancer, as we can remove the cancerous parts of the stomach before it spreads.