Assignment: Cancer in Her Stomach

Assignment: Cancer in Her Stomach

Assignment: Cancer in Her Stomach

Discussion Part Two Upon the course of your history you find out that Shelby has a great aunt on her mother’s side who died of ‘some woman cancer in her stomach’ and an uncle on her father’s side who died of pancreatic cancer. Her mother and older sisters are all in good health. Does this information change your recommendations for screening? Why or why not?

Source: https://www.homeworkjoy.com/questions/health-care/577558-DeVry-nr503-full-course-latest-2017-october/
© homeworkjoy.com

Stomach cancer usually begins in the mucus-producing cells that line the stomach. This type of cancer is called adenocarcinoma.

For the past several decades, rates of cancer in the main part of the stomach (stomach body) have been falling worldwide. During the same period, cancer in the area where the top part of the stomach (cardia) meets the lower end of the swallowing tube (esophagus) has become much more common. This area of the stomach is called the gastroesophageal junction.

Stomach cancer care at Mayo Clinic

Products & Services
Book: Mayo Clinic on Digestive Health

Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of gastroesophageal junction cancer and stomach cancer may include:

Fatigue
Feeling bloated after eating
Feeling full after eating small amounts of food
Severe, persistent heartburn
Severe indigestion that is always present
Unexplained, persistent nausea
Stomach pain
Persistent vomiting
Unintentional weight loss
When to see a doctor
If you have signs and symptoms that worry you, make an appointment with your doctor. Your doctor will likely investigate more common causes of these signs and symptoms first.

Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic
Causes
Stomach and pyloric valve
In general, cancer begins when an error (mutation) occurs in a cell’s DNA. The mutation causes the cell to grow and divide at a rapid rate and to continue living when a normal cell would die. The accumulating cancerous cells form a tumor that can invade nearby structures. And cancer cells can break off from the tumor to spread throughout the body.

Gastroesophageal junction cancer is associated with having gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD) and, less strongly, with obesity and smoking. GERD is a condition caused by frequent backflow of stomach acid into the esophagus.

There is a strong correlation between a diet high in smoked and salted foods and stomach cancer located in the main part of the stomach. As the use of refrigeration for preserving foods has increased around the world, the rates of stomach cancer have declined.

Risk factors
The main risk factors for gastroesophageal junction cancer are a history of GERD and obesity.

Factors that increase your risk of stomach cancer located in the stomach body include:

A diet high in salty and smoked foods
A diet low in fruits and vegetables
Family history of stomach cancer
Infection with Helicobacter pylori
Long-term stomach inflammation
Pernicious anemia
Smoking
Stomach polyps