Jakarta: Patients rarely detect early signs of gastric cancer, because most patients mistake the symptoms for regular gastric pain. In fact, diagnosis and therapy at an early stage can make stomach cancer better treated or even cured.
Chairman of the Indonesian Cancer Foundation, Prof. Dr. dr. Aru Sudoyo, SpPD, KHOM, FINASIM, FACP explained six situations that need to be watched out for as symptoms of stomach cancer. Such as the following:
1. The first situation
The presence of abdominal pain is abdominal or abdominal pain that initially feels mild. However, because it is busy, it is not noticed, and is not lost by eating. So that over time the pain gets worse until it is unbearable.
“The most frequent symptoms of gastric cancer (between 60-90 percent) are similar to ulcers,” said Prof. Aru.
2. The second situation
A person begins to have difficulty swallowing food, and this occurs when the tumor is located in the upper cardia area, it will narrow. Where food feels ‘stuck’ in the chest area, they are forced to drink lots of water. But then it will rise back up or also known as ‘gastroesophageal reflux’ or GERD.
3. The third situation
Nausea and vomiting at mealtimes. This occurs when the tumor is located close to the entrance to the small intestine or pylorus. The resistance of the passage of food sends a signal to the brain that the food “has to be turned upwards”.
4. The fourth situation
The more you feel full faster with the stomach space filled by the tumor, so that less food enters the body. This occurs especially in the ‘diffuse’ type of gastric cancer where the tumor cells take up a large surface area of the stomach, where the elasticity of the stomach is reduced.
5. The fifth situation
There was a drastic weight loss. It could be because it is difficult for food to come down or because of vomiting, and the food and nutrition will be reduced.
6. The sixth situation
Bleeding begins, where a tumor or cancer penetrates the inner lining of the stomach. If the bleeding is still a little, there will be no symptoms. However, in large bleeding, resulting in upper or lower hematemesis with symptoms of anemia.
“By being aware of the symptoms of gastric cancer, people are expected to immediately detect cancer so that it can be cured at an early stage,” concluded Prof. Aru Sudoyo.
(FIR)
– .
