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Stomach cancer
Thestomachisamuscularorganthatformspartofyourdigestivesystem.Foodtravelsdownthe oesophagusandintothestomachtobemixedwithacidsandenzymes. StomachcancerisoneofthemostcommoncancersinVictoriawithmorethan500people diagnosedeveryyear.However,thenumberofpeoplewithstomachcancerisfallinginAustralia. Stomachcancerisrareinpeopleunder50yearsofageandaffectsmorementhanwomen. Risks and causes Itisnotknownexactlywhatcausesstomachcancer.However,someriskfactorsmakeitmore likelythatapersonwilldevelopthisdisease.Theseriskfactorsinclude: Smoking Agemostcasesarediagnosedinpeopleover50 Genderitistwiceaslikelyinmenthanwomen InfectionwithHelicobacter pylori Adiethighinsmoked,pickledandsaltedfoodsandlowinfreshfruitandvegetables Afamilyhistoryofstomachcancer Partialgastrectomyforulcerdisease(afterabout20years) Inheritingageneticchangethatcausestheboweldisordersfamilialadenomatouspolyposis (FAP)orhereditarynon-polyposiscolorectalcancer(HNPCC).

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Symptoms Thesymptomsofstomachcancerareusuallyvagueandcanbecommontoothermedical conditions.Thismeansthatoftencasesareonlydiagnosedwhenthediseaseisquiteadvanced. Someofthesymptomsofstomachcancerinclude: Indigestion(suchasheartburn,bloatingorburping) Feelingfull,evenafterasmallmeal Nauseaand/orvomiting Painanddifficultyswallowing Unexplainedtirednessorweakness Bloodinvomit Black-colouredfaeces,whichmeansoldblood Weightlossorlossofappetitemorelikelyinaveryadvancedcancer.

Diagnosis Stomachcancerisusuallydiagnosedusinganumberoftests,including: Endoscopy/gastroscopyathinflexibletubeispasseddownyourthroatsothedoctor canseeintoyourstomach,oesophagusandupperpartofyourbowel. Biopsyasmallsampleofthestomachisremovedduringtheendoscopyandlookedat underamicroscope. Barium x-rayliquidbariumisswallowedandshowsuponanx-rayscreenasitpasses throughthestomachanddigestivesystem.Itcanshowupabnormalitiesinthestomach. Ultrasoundsoundwavescreateapictureofyourstomach. Blood testsincludingacarcinoembryonicantigen(CEA)test.CEAisproducedinhigh quantitiesbysomecancercellsincludingabouthalfofthepeoplediagnosedwithstomach cancer.

Ifstomachcancerisdiagnosed,furthertestsmaybeneededtoseeifthecancerhasspread.These mayincludeaCT,MRIorPETscan.

Stomachcancer

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Treatment Treatmentdependsonthetypeandsizeofthecancer,yourageandhealthandwhetherthe cancerhasspread.Treatmentsinclude: Surgerythemaintreatmentintheearlystages.Allorpartofthestomachisremoved alongwithanycancerouslymphnodes.Thisismajorsurgeryandyouwillneedtobefit enoughtohaveit. Chemotherapytheuseofanti-cancerdrugs,whichcanstopcancercellsfrommultiplying. Youmayhavethisbeforeoraftersurgery. Radiotherapytheuseofradiationtokillcancercells.Radiotherapyisnotoftenusedto treatstomachcancerbutyoumayhaveitaftersurgerytodestroyanyremainingcancer cellsorifthecancerisveryadvancedtohelprelievepain. Symptom controlevenifyourstomachcancercannotbecured,youmayhave treatmenttohelpcontrolyoursymptoms.Thismayincludesurgerytorelieveablockageat theentryorexitofyourstomach.

Alltreatmentshavesideeffects.Thesewillvarydependingonthetypeoftreatmentyouare having.Manysideeffectsaretemporarybutsomemaybepermanent.Yourdoctorwillexplainall thepossiblesideeffectsbeforeyourtreatmentbegins. Where to get help Yourdoctor TheCancerCouncilVictoria,CancerInformationandSupportServiceTel.131120 MultilingualCancerInformationLine,Victoria-seetheCCVwebsiteforcontactdetails

Things to remember

Stomachcancerisoneofthe10mostcommoncancersinVictoria,despitethedropin numbers. Symptomsofstomachcancerareusuallyvagueandcommontootherconditions. Treatmentforstomachcancermayincludesurgery,chemotherapyorradiotherapy.

This page has been produced in consultation with, and approved by:

CancerCouncilVictoria

Copyight 1999/2009StateofVictoria.ReproducedfromtheBetterHealthChannel(www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au)at nocostwithpermissionoftheVictorianMinisterforHealth.Unauthorisedreproductionandotherusescomprisedinthe copyrightareprohibitedwithoutpermission. ThisBetterHealthChannelfactsheethaspassedthrougharigorousapprovalprocess.Forthelatestupdatesandmore informationvisitwww.betterhealth.vic.gov.au.

Stomachcancer

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