Know about the symptoms and diagnosis of metastatic stomach cancer

Stomach cancer is also known as gastric cancer. Cancer begins when the healthy cells in the stomach start acting abnormally and start growing out of control. Tumors start developing in the stomach and they can be cancerous or benign. A cancerous tumor is malignant, which means that eventually it can grow and spread to other parts of the body.

When the cancer cells in the stomach start growing and spreading to other parts of the body that stage of stomach cancer is known as metastatic stomach cancer.

How is stomach cancer diagnosed?

The doctors may conduct various tests to find and diagnose cancer. The factors considered while choosing the diagnostic tests are the type of cancer suspected, signs and symptoms of the patient, age, and the medical condition. Below are the common tests apart from a physical examination that are conducted to diagnose stomach cancer-

• Biopsy – Biopsy is one of the sure ways for the doctor to know whether you have cancer or not. A small amount of tissue is removed and examined under the microscope in a biopsy.
• Endoscopy – With a thin, flexible, and lighted tube called an endoscope or a gastroscope, the doctor can see inside the body. The person may feel sedated during endoscopy and medications are given to the patient to feel more relaxed, sleepy, or calm.
• X-ray – An x-ray is an easy way to create a picture of the structures inside the stomach by using some amount of radiation.
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)- In an MRI, the magnetic field is used instead of x-rays to produce a detailed image of the body. An MRI can also be used to measure the size of the tumor.
• Computed tomography (CT) scan – A CT scan is a powerful tool that helps to take detailed pictures of what is inside the body.
• Laparoscopy- A laparoscopy is a minor surgery where the surgeon inserts a light, thin, and flexible tube called laparoscopy into the abdominal cavity. It helps in determining if cancer has spread to the lining of the abdominal cavity or not.

What are the early symptoms of stomach cancer?

The early symptoms of stomach cancer can also be caused due to many other health conditions like a stomach virus or an ulcer.

• Some symptoms to look out for are stomach pain or discomfort in the abdomen, nausea or vomiting (especially solid food shortly after eating), indigestion or heartburn, bloating in the stomach after meals, loss of appetite, a sensation that the food is stuck in the throat after consumption, and diarrhea or constipation.
• Some people who have stomach cancer may not experience any of the symptoms and changes mentioned above.

What are the symptoms of metastatic stomach cancer?

Stomach cancer is usually not detected at an early stage as it does not cause any specific symptoms.

• The major symptoms of metastatic stomach cancer are vomiting blood or having blood in the stools, unexplained sudden weight loss, and feeling weak or tired.
• If a person is experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned above, it is essential to consult a doctor immediately for further diagnosis.

What is the survival rate of metastatic stomach cancer?

Stomach cancer is usually diagnosed in old people with the average age of diagnosis being 68. Men are more likely to develop stomach cancer as compared to women.

• In metastatic stomach cancer, cancer has spread to the distant organs and this stage usually cannot be cured.
• Treatments like chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy are used to treat metastatic lung cancer. These treatments are also known as palliative therapy, and the key goal is to improve the quality and length of life. However, the efficacy of the treatments can vary from case to case.
• In the metastatic stage, however, the lifespan of a person with stomach cancer cannot be expanded; hence, the chances of surviving it are rare.

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