A 21-year-old girl was diagnosed with advanced gastric cancer! These symptoms are early signs of gastric cancer, check as soon as possible!

It is hard to believe that a 21-year-old girl was diagnosed with advanced gastric cancer.

According to media reports, this 21-year-old girl from Shandong suddenly felt pain in her lower abdomen and thought it was bloating. She didn't take it seriously, but went to the hospital for a checkup and found out that she had advanced gastric cancer! Why did she get gastric cancer at such a young age?

According to statistics from the China Anti-Cancer Association, the age of onset of gastric cancer is mainly between 40 and 60 years old, accounting for 70% of the gastric cancer population. However, it is worth noting that the age of onset of gastric cancer is trending younger. Next, the gastrointestinal and burn surgery experts from Hunan Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine will give you some basic knowledge about gastric cancer!

What is Gastric Cancer?

Gastric cancer refers to a malignant tumor that originates in the gastric mucosal epithelial cells. The most common pathological type is gastric adenocarcinoma. The incidence of gastric cancer is relatively high in my country.

High-risk groups for gastric cancer

1. People aged 40 and above, regardless of gender.

2. People infected with Helicobacter pylori.

3. People who have suffered from precancerous diseases of the stomach such as chronic atrophic gastritis, gastric ulcer, gastric polyps, residual stomach after surgery, hypertrophic gastritis, pernicious anemia, etc.

4. People with a family history of gastric cancer.

5. People who have bad living habits such as staying up late for a long time, overwork, mental fatigue, and preference for high-calorie, high-fat foods.

Warning signs of stomach cancer

Gastric cancer often has no specific symptoms in its early stages, but as the disease progresses, the following warning signs may appear:

1. Abdominal pain: Continuous and irregular pain may be a warning sign of cancer.

2. Heartburn and acid reflux: Gastric acid flows back into the esophagus, corroding the esophageal mucosa, causing heartburn discomfort below the sternum. At the same time, when gastric contents flow back through the esophagus to the oropharynx, a sour taste will be felt, which is the phenomenon of acid reflux. If these symptoms occur frequently, you need to be alert to the possibility of gastric cancer.

3. Rapid weight loss: If the patient loses weight rapidly in a short period of time, becomes noticeably thinner, and cannot be relieved by medication, this may be a sign of cancer.

4. Abdominal mass: If you feel a hard mass that is painful when pressed, you need to be highly alert as to whether it is caused by cancer.

5. Black stools: Patients with stomach problems may have unexplained black stools, which may be caused by bleeding from gastric ulcers or cancer.

Prevention tips for gastric cancer

1. Reasonable diet structure : pay attention to balanced nutrition, low-salt diet, eat less pickled, smoked food and overheated food, do not eat moldy food, eat more eggs, fish, shrimp and fresh fruits and vegetables.

2. Good living habits : avoid overeating and staying up late, develop the habit of eating breakfast, quitting smoking and drinking, going to bed early and getting up early, maintain an optimistic attitude, avoid being angry or anxious for a long time, insist on proper physical exercise, and control your weight.

3. Implement the separate dining system at home : develop the habit of using public chopsticks and spoons, do not share food with others, boil and disinfect tableware regularly for 20 minutes each time, wash hands in time before and after meals to avoid cross infection.

4. Regular physical examination : It is recommended that the general population undergo a gastroscopy every 2 to 3 years, and high-risk groups undergo a gastroscopy every year. If early symptoms of gastric disease are found during regular physical examinations, you should go to a gastroenterology specialist clinic for further examination.

Treatment of Gastric Cancer

The treatments for gastric cancer mainly include surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy.

In short, the stomach is the "safe" of our body. It carries everything we eat and drink and protects our health. Therefore, we must take good care of our stomach!

Hunan Medical Chat Special Author: Shen Shuhong, Department of Gastroenterology and Burn Surgery, Hunan Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine

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(Edited by Wx)