The 'curse' of gastric cancer is not just tobacco and alcohol! If there are 3 abnormalities in the abdomen, or gastric cancer 'report'

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 taking the medicine.

About half a year after stopping the drug, her stomach hurt again, which lasted for about 3 weeks, and the stomach medicine didn't help much. As a last resort, Xiao Liu had to go to the hospital for an examination. After this investigation, she was diagnosed with stomach cancer.

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

1. Nearly half of gastric cancer in the world is in China, and the "curse" is not just tobacco and alcohol

Maybe you never thought that after eating happily, you actually got Helicobacter pylori. Yes, not using public chopsticks is one of the reasons for infection with Helicobacter pylori.

Last year, The Lancet pointed out 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 pathogenic factor of gastric cancer . Among the new gastric cancers 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 habitual factors:

• Inherited: carry a specific gene 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 listed Helicobacter pylori as a class I carcinogen. According to the Fifth National Consensus Report on the Treatment of Helicobacter Pylori Infection, the infection rate of Helicobacter pylori in China has reached 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 irreparable 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, an 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 are discovered, thus missing the best time for diagnosis and treatment.

Why does gastric cancer come quietly?

Let’s first look at the structure of our stomach. There are 4 layers in total, mucosal layer, submucosa layer, muscle layer and serosa layer. In the beginning, gastric cancer will appear in the mucous layer of the stomach. Since the damage is not large, it will not bleed, and it will basically not affect the digestive function, so there are no obvious symptoms.

Even if there are occasional discomfort symptoms such as abdominal distension and abdominal pain, it is easy to be mistaken for simple stomach problems . As time goes by, cancer cells will continue to proliferate, and the cancer focus will become larger and larger, and will 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 daily, you must be vigilant, it may be a signal of "approaching" gastric cancer, especially for patients with gastric cancer:

1. Irregular stomach pain

Stomach pain symptoms come and go, irregular. At the beginning, it always appeared about 1 hour after the meal, and then it gradually became irregular and continued to happen.

2. Heartburn and acid reflux

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

3. Abdominal mass

An unexplained mass in the abdomen that is characterized by a firm, painful squeeze and may grow larger over time, involving the back, waist, 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 has a lot to do with the low rate of gastroscopy.

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

However, it should be noted that during the process of 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, leading to bleeding ;

②During the examination, the cardia 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, the damage to the gastric mucosa will be further aggravated .

Therefore, in gastroscopy, there may be risks such as bleeding, infection, gastric perforation, etc. , but the probability is very low, so you can rest assured to accept the examination.

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

First, follow the doctor's instructions, actively cooperate, and swallow when the gastroscope reaches the mouth of the throat.

Second, if there is flatulence during the examination, you can inhale through the nose and exhale through the 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 allow, you can choose painless gastroscopy to reduce discomfort and damage.

Finally, I would like to remind the following high-risk groups of gastric cancer that they must have regular gastroscopy, do not let go of any suspicious situations, and keep abreast of their physical conditions, such as : those 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 terrible. The terrible thing is that we don't know how to prevent it and how to take care of our stomach. Therefore, to stay away from gastric cancer, we must develop good living habits.

References

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

[2] "The stomach is most afraid of these "few things", one more is one point closer to gastric cancer! Doctor: Many people are in the late stage when they are diagnosed." Popular Science China. 2022-05-14

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

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