A Fleeting Glimpse on Stomach Cancer

Stomach cancer is the 3rd leading cancer in Indian men. The stomach is an organ that resembles a sac and is an integral part of the digestive system. Stomach cancer occurs in the cells that line the stomach and stomach cancer can affect any part of the stomach. Gastric or stomach cancer begins from the mucosal layer, the innermost layer where the gastric acid and enzymes are synthesized. Stomach cancer is a different disease and it is not as same as colorectal cancer or liver or pancreatic cancer.

Stomach cancer develops due to genetic mutations that happen in the stomach cells. The trigger for gene mutation can be due to various risk factors, and one such significant factor is Helicobacter pylori infection, H. pylori is a bacteria that is produced to cause gastric ulcers. But these H.pylori bacteria tend to produce a few chemicals that can irritate the stomach cells and cause changes in the DNA. Followed by this, cells present in the stomach begin to replicate the mutated genes and lead to form malignant cells by destroying the healthy cells. With further development, these cancerous cells accumulate together and form a tumor. If untreated in the basic stage, these tumors can spread to the other body parts, which is called metastasis.

Apart from H.pylori, some other causative factors and conditions include obesity, untreated gastritis, smoking, gastric reflux disease, poor dietary habits that involve high salty foods and foods that contain low fibre levels. Although a family history of stomach cancer can also impact the DNA of stomach cells so any person with a family history should get screened at specific intervals, at least once in three years for stomach cancer. The screening for stomach cancer is upper gastrointestinal tract endoscopy. However, Gastric cancer can be prevented if we could embrace healthy food habits and abstain from alcohol, smoking, and tobacco.

The stomach cancer presents with gastric-related symptoms such as bloating, heartburn, difficulty swallowing food, vomiting, loss of appetite, and indigestion. If you experience such symptoms, your doctor might need to confirm stomach cancer after conducting a few examinations and tests. The tests involve a complete blood profile to evaluate gastric bleeding by looking at the hemoglobin levels because GI bleeding can cause anemia. Followed by that, upper GI endoscopy will be performed under the supervision of a gastroenterologist. If any abnormalities are found during the procedure, a biopsy will be performed simultaneously. Tissue samples will be sent for a biopsy to detect the presence of cancerous cells. Some types of genetic tests will also be conducted with the biopsy samples to identify the nature of cancer. Imaging studies like CT scan, MRI, PET scans will also be done to analyze the spread of cancer.

Once the diagnosis is confirmed with stomach cancer, the treatment choices depend on the extent of the stages. The goals of treatment for stomach cancer include surgery, chemotherapy, targeted therapy , immunotherapy and radiation. Chemotherapy can be started as the primary treatment if gastric cancer has got widely spread. Chemo drugs work on their way to shrink the size of tumors and cease the growth of cancerous cells. Many types of chemo drugs are there to treat stomach cancer and capecitabine is one of the chemo medications used widely to treat stomach cancer. It can either be combined with other chemo drugs or used individually with radiation therapy. Capegard 500mg Tablet is one of the products available in the market that contain capecitabine. Capecitabine produces its action by attacking DNA synthesis of the malignant cells and retards the growth of cancer cells. This chemo drug, capecitabine, is also used to treat colorectal cancer and breast cancer. However it is better to discuss with your doctor regarding the comorbid conditions, allergies, contraindications, risk , benefits and the side effects of capecitabine before starting with it.