Stomach cancer, also known as gastric carcinoma, is a malignant disease of the stomach. It develops when certain cells in the stomach become malignant and multiply uncontrollably.
Here you will find further information as well as selected specialists and centers for stomach cancer.
In most cases, a stomach tumor develops in the gastric mucosa. In 95% of cases, it originates from cells of the glandular tissue. Doctors also refer to these classic gastric carcinomas that originate from glandular cells as adenocarcinomas.
In rare cases, however, gastric tumors can originate from other cells of the stomach, for example the
The stomach is a tubular to sac-shaped hollow organ belonging to the digestive tract . It is located in the left upper abdomen below the diaphragm and between the spleen and liver. At its upper end, the oesophagus opens into the stomach. At the lower end, the stomach merges into theduodenum.
The task of the stomach is to absorb the ingested food and initiate the first steps of digestion. With the help of gastric juice, the food is prepared for further digestion in the intestine and then released in portions into the duodenum.
The stomach is divided into five different sections. A distinction is made between
The two to three millimeter stomach wall is made up of four layers, namely
According to the Robert Koch Institute, around 17,000 people in Germany are diagnosed with stomach cancer every year. Men are slightly more likely to develop stomach cancer than women. This makes stomach cancer the sixth most common tumor disease in men and the eighth most common in women.
It mostly affects older people. The average age of onset is 69 for menand 72 for women. Middle-aged people are much less likely to develop stomach cancer. Young adults and children are almost never affected.
The number of cases of stomach cancer in Germany has been falling for more than 30 years. However, despite these declining numbers, stomach cancer is one of the most common causes of tumor-related deaths. This is mainly due to the fact that stomach cancer is usually detected too late.
The exact causes and correlations that lead to the development of stomach cancer have not yet been clearly established. However, some risk factors are known that promote the development of a malignant stomach tumor. These include in particular
Stomach diseases that are associated with an increased risk of stomach cancer include
In addition, previous stomach surgery can also increase the risk of stomach cancer.
Dietary habits and lifestyle also play a role. For example
increase the risk of developing stomach cancer.
A genetic predisposition to stomach cancer is present if there are increased cases of stomach cancer in the family. If a first-degree relative, i.e. a parent, child or sibling, has stomach cancer, your own risk of developing the disease is also increased.
In the early stages, stomach cancer usually causes no or only very unspecific symptoms. Stomach cancer is therefore often only discovered late. The uncharacteristic symptoms that can occur at the beginning of the disease include
In addition, there may also be
indicate a stomach carcinoma.
If stomach cancer is suspected, several examinations are necessary to confirm the diagnosis. In the first step, the patient's medical history is taken as part of the so-called anamnesis. The doctor will ask questions about the exact symptoms, diet and lifestyle.
The next step is usually a gastroscopy, also known as a gastroscopy. This allows the doctor to view the stomach from the inside and detect changes in the gastric mucosa. During the gastroscopy, a tissue sample (biopsy) is taken if there are any abnormalities. It is then examined for malignant cancer cells under a microscope in the laboratory. If malignant, degenerated cells are detected, the diagnosis of "stomach cancer" is made.
How a gastroscopy works © bilderzwerg | AdobeStock
Following the diagnosis, the doctors have to find out
Further examinations are necessary for this. Endoscopic ultrasound(endosonography) is used to determine
Tumor metastases in other organs, so-called distant metastases, can be detected using computer tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). These are usually located in the abdomen and chest.
A fine-nodular tumor seeding in the abdominal cavity is searched for by laparoscopy and hopefully ruled out.
Stomach cancer is usually treated by specialists from the medical fields of internal oncology and oncological surgery.
These specialists have various treatment methods at their disposal for the treatment of gastric cancer, including
Which treatment method is used depends primarily on the stage of the disease.
Surgery is the most important treatment option for stomach cancer. It is considered when
The aim of stomach cancer surgery is to surgically remove the tumor and all cancer cells.
The extent of the operation depends on the size and type of stomach tumor. In some cases, the stomach only needs to be partially removed, in others completely, in order to remove all cancer cells.
In addition, the surrounding connective tissue and lymph nodes must also be removed precisely and radically (so-called D2 lymph node dissection). The surgeon has a decisive prognostic role to play. He should therefore have the appropriate case numbers, training and experience.
Chemotherapy aims to kill the cancer cells using cell growth-inhibiting drugs, also known as cytostatics. It is often used to support surgery for stomach cancer. If it is given after the operation as part of the treatment plan, it is also known as adjuvant chemotherapy.
In the case of locally and regionally advanced gastric cancer, chemotherapy is also carried out neoadjuvantly, i.e. before surgery. The aim is then to reduce the size of the stomach tumor so that it can be removed more easily or surgically at all.
If metastases have already formed in other organs, a cure is no longer possible. Chemotherapy then only serves to slow tumor growth for a certain period of time and alleviate symptoms.
This type of treatment for stomach cancer is also known as palliative chemotherapy.
Radiotherapy is considered for stomach cancer if
The main aim of radiotherapy is to shrink the stomach tumor and metastases in order to relieve the pain.
The treatment of a patient with stomach cancer belongs in the hands of stomach cancer specialists. It should be carried out in hospitals that have extensive experience with stomach cancer.
The German Cancer Society certifies these oncology treatment centers, which guarantees a high quality of care for patients with stomach cancer.
Experts for stomach cancer are specialists from the fields of
These experts discuss the individual cancers of their patients in tumor conferences. Together, they develop a treatment strategy tailored to the patient, taking into account current guideline recommendations.
Gastric cancer specialists are very familiar with all diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. They can prove this through corresponding case numbers and performance certificates.
The Leading Medicine Guide's quality assurance is ensured by the following acceptance prerequisites.
