The 'bane' of stomach cancer is not just tobacco and alcohol! If there are 3 abnormalities in the abdomen, or stomach cancer 'reports'

Xiao Liu is 23 years old this year. He suffered from stomach pain for a while last year. After going to the hospital for examination, he found that he was infected with Helicobacter pylori. After taking the medicine for a period of time, Xiao Liu felt that there was no problem, so he stopped the medicine.

About half a year after stopping the medicine, her stomach hurt again, which lasted for about 3 weeks, and the stomach medicine had little effect. As a last resort, Xiao Liu can only go to the hospital for examination. This investigation, she was diagnosed with stomach cancer.

Xiao Liu didn't understand, how could an ordinary stomach pain develop into stomach cancer in just half a year? Is it all the fault of Helicobacter pylori?

1. Nearly half of the world's stomach cancers are in China, and the "bane" is not just tobacco and alcohol

Maybe you have never thought that you can eat Helicobacter pylori when you eat happily. Yes, not using public chopsticks is one of the reasons for Helicobacter pylori infection.

Last year, The Lancet published an article stating that in 2020, there will be more than 1 million confirmed cases of gastric cancer worldwide, of which 478,000 are in China, accounting for about 50% of the world's total. Helicobacter pylori is the most significant and common causative factor for gastric cancer . Among the new gastric cancer cases in China, 370,000 people are related to Helicobacter pylori .

The high incidence of gastric cancer in China is mainly affected by four factors, including genetic factors, infection factors, dietary factors and habit factors:

• Inherited: carrying a specific genetic mutation, such as CDH1;
• Infection: infection with Helicobacter pylori, etc.;
• Diet: unhealthy diet, often eat high-salt food or pickled food, eat less fresh fruits and vegetables, etc.;
• Habits: Bad living habits, including smoking, drinking, lack of exercise, etc.

Among them, Helicobacter pylori is a major factor.

As early as 1994, the International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified Helicobacter pylori as a carcinogen. The Fifth National Consensus Report on the Treatment of Helicobacter pylori Infection shows that the infection rate of Helicobacter pylori in China has reached as high as 50%.

According to relevant data, 67%-80% of gastric ulcers and 95% of duodenal ulcers are related to Helicobacter pylori, and Helicobacter pylori can increase the risk of gastric cancer by 4-6 times ! If the infection rate of Helicobacter pylori is not controlled, it will cause irreversible consequences.

Therefore, once Helicobacter pylori is detected, and active treatment can effectively prevent the occurrence of gastric cancer.

Second, early gastric cancer is not itchy? Abdominal abnormalities do not hesitate

Professor Li Zhaoshen, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, once said that 90% of gastric cancer patients in China are often in the advanced stage when they find their condition, so they miss the best time for diagnosis and treatment.

Why is gastric cancer coming quietly?

First of all, let’s look at the structure of our stomach. There are 4 layers in total: mucosa, submucosa, muscle layer and serosa. At the beginning, gastric cancer will appear in the mucous layer of the stomach. Since the damage is small, it will not bleed, and it will basically not affect the digestive function, so there are no obvious symptoms.

Even if there are occasional bloating, abdominal pain and other uncomfortable symptoms, it is easy to be mistaken for a simple stomach problem . Over time, cancer cells will continue to proliferate, become larger and larger, and develop into an advanced stage.

Once metastasis occurs, it means that it has reached an advanced stage, and the 5-year survival rate is less than 10% .

Therefore, if the following "clues" appear every day, you must be vigilant, which may be a signal that gastric cancer is "approaching", especially for patients with gastric diseases:

1. Irregular stomach pain

The symptoms of stomach pain come and go, and there is no pattern. At first, it always appeared about 1 hour after a meal, and then it gradually became irregular and continued.

2. Heartburn and acid reflux

There is a burning sensation in the pit of the heart, which is very uncomfortable, and is accompanied by acid reflux. Because the stomach continuously secretes gastric acid, but the food is alkaline, when the acidic substances corrode the esophageal mucosa, it will cause heartburn and acid reflux.

3. Abdominal mass

An unexplained lump in the abdomen that is firm, painful to squeeze , and may grow larger over time, involving the back, lower back, etc.

3. Gastroscopy is the "gold standard" for gastric cancer. Will it be harmful to the human body?

The reason why most gastric cancer patients in China are diagnosed at an advanced stage is closely related to the low rate of gastroscopy.

Gastroscopy and gastroscopic biopsy are the "gold standard" for the diagnosis of gastric cancer. Through gastroscopy, it is possible to clearly see whether there are lesions in the esophagus and gastric mucosa . If suspicious lesions are found, a biopsy can also be taken, which is very convenient.

However, it should be noted that in the process of doing gastroscopy, you may face these 4 situations, such as:

①Too nervous or uncooperative, making it difficult for the gastroscope to enter the stomach, causing repeated irritation to the throat and causing bleeding ;

② During the examination, the cardiac mucosa is repeatedly pulled up and down, which may cause vomiting ;

③ If repeated vomiting occurs, it may cause gastric mucosal abrasions ;

④ After the examination, if you still cough and vomit, it will further aggravate the damage to the gastric mucosa .

Therefore, during gastroscopy, there may be risks such as bleeding, infection, gastric perforation, etc. , but the probability is very low, and you can safely accept the examination.

Is there any way to reduce the harm of gastroscope to the body?

First, follow the doctor's instructions, cooperate actively, and do swallowing when the gastroscope reaches the throat.

Second, if there is flatulence during the examination, you can inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth, and spit it out. If you feel uncomfortable, you should tell the doctor in time, and do not pull out the gastroscope with your hands.

Third, if conditions permit, you can choose painless gastroscopy to reduce discomfort and damage.

Finally, remind the following high-risk groups of gastric cancer to have regular gastroscopy, do not let go of any suspicious situations, and keep abreast of their physical conditions, such as : over 40 years old, suffering from gastric diseases such as chronic atrophic gastritis, gastric ulcer, Gastric polyps, etc., as well as people with a family history of gastric cancer and Helicobacter pylori infection.

Stomach cancer is not scary. What is scary is that we don't know how to prevent it or how to take care of our stomach. So to stay away from stomach cancer, we must develop good living habits.

References

[1] "85% is in the middle and late stages! Is there no sign of stomach cancer coming? 》. Digestive and Liver Disease Channel of the Medical Profession. 2022-04-13

[2] "The stomach is most afraid of these "several things", and one more is nearly one point away from gastric cancer! Doctor: Many people are diagnosed at a later stage". Popular Science China. 2022-05-14

[3] "If one person is infected, the whole family must be cured! 70% of new gastric cancers in China are related to it". CCTV Life Circle. 2022-01-08

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