Education in the stomach that can be. Submucosal tumor of the stomach. What is meant by the formation of tumors in the stomach

Today it is very difficult to find a person who does not suffer from stomach diseases, and gastritis is considered a normal part of the life of almost every person living in a metropolis. We are so accustomed to the fact that in the conditions of the modern world it is very difficult to maintain a balance of a healthy diet that we let stomach problems take their course, which can subsequently lead to very sad consequences, after all, in almost 95% of the tumor of the stomach is malignant, and the disease itself is in second place after lung cancer.

In today's world, men are more exposed to this disease than women, especially the risk increases after reaching 45 years. AT recent times there is a small wave of decrease in disease statistics, but it is still too early to talk about the complete absence of danger.

Classification of tumors of the stomach

Depending on the type of tissue from which the tumor originated, they are divided into benign and malignant - such a classification not only tells us about the danger of the neoplasm, but also indicates the main site of inflammation.

A benign tumor of the stomach is a polyp, a glandular formation that has round shape. There is also a quantitative classification:

Single polyps;
Multiple polyps;
Polypos.

Classification of the structure of polyps:

Adematous - with a size of more than fifteen millimeters, they are converted into a tumor.
Hyperplastic - develop in connection with atrophic gastritis.
Inflammatory connective tissue tumors are not.

There is also a classification of tissues from which a benign neoplasm can occur:

muscular (leiomyoma);
under slime layer(lipoma);
blood vessels (angioma);
nerve fibers (neurinoma);
connective tissue (fibroma).

The classification of gastric tumors also includes malignant formations. Most of these neoplasms are of epithelial origin. Gastrointestinal stromal tumor of the stomach is also a malignant tumor, although it accounts for only one percent of the total number of cases. Other tumors include:

carcinoid - a tumor capable of producing hormones;
leiomyoblastic tumor - contains epithelial and smooth muscle cells;
leiomyosarcoma - matted smooth muscle cells.

The main causes of occurrence

epithelial cells located on inner wall gastric tract- a common site of tumor occurrence. Cancer can develop in any of the gastric regions:

main or middle departments;
on the border with the esophagus - the upper section;
on the border with the intestines - the lower section.

As in other areas of oncological abnormalities, scientists have not been able to identify exact time and the cause of a cell mutation that results in a tumor. However, scientists were able to find out what events precede the onset of tumor formation. In a healthy stomach, a neoplasm cannot develop, which means that there must be reasons that lead to a change in the gastric composition.

Out of everything known causes the following classification can be made:

heredity: stomach ulcer, polyps, gastritis (with low acidity);
the use of products that provoke the appearance gastric diseases: smoked, spicy, fried. This also includes drinking alcohol, smoking;
the presence of the bacterium helicobacter pylori in the stomach;
low levels of vitamins B12 and C can also cause stomach cancer.

Signs of a stomach tumor

The main problem of identifying this terrible disease is that on early stages appearance, the symptoms are very similar to ordinary gastritis, which pushes doctors to determine this particular diagnosis and prescribe the wrong treatment.

Sharp changes or pains at the initial stage of the tumor of the stomach are not observed, however, after a while the patient begins to experience all the signs of the tumor inherent in patients:

fatigue;
apathy;
lack of appetite;
depression;
pale skin;
sharp weight loss;
development of pernicious anemia is possible.

The tumor of the stomach, the symptoms of which are listed above, is also accompanied by unpleasant sensations in the esophagus itself: there is a feeling of overeating and heaviness even after a small portion of food, the patient experiences nausea, which is often accompanied by vomiting. In later stages, a person's skin acquires a grayish tint, back pain appears (if metastases also appear in the pancreas), bleeding is possible. Only non-epithelial tumors of the stomach are asymptomatic in the first stages and are mostly benign.

The internal development of a stomach tumor occurs as follows:

the cancer cell grows to about 2 cm;
then it begins to penetrate both deep into the tissues and spread over the surface, preventing food from entering the stomach or entering the intestines, depending on its location;
then it spreads to the colon and pancreas, and metastases penetrate the peritoneum, ovaries and liver.
cancer cells are separated and spread throughout the body with the help of the bloodstream and lymph.

Diagnosis and treatment

To correctly establish the diagnosis and determine the stage of the disease, the patient must undergo the appropriate tests:

x-ray of the pancreas;
Ultrasound of the abdominal cavity;
gastroscopy;
biopsy;
CT scan.

This stage is the most important - the fate of the patient will depend on the results of this range of studies. If a malignant tumor of the stomach was nevertheless found, then it is at this stage that its size, boundaries and stage of the disease itself are determined.

Most often, after the examination, a decision is made to remove part of the stomach or the entire stomach as a whole. If a tumor of the stomach, the treatment of which is no longer possible, has spread to other organs: the spleen, liver or intestines, then they must also be removed.

After the operation, in order to reduce the possibility of metastases and prolong remission, courses of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and to maintain and restore the body itself, a course of drugs with a high content of vitamins and minerals is prescribed.

The goal of chemotherapy is to destroy cancer cells. Sometimes it is prescribed even before surgery and is an intravenous infusion of special drugs. Radiation therapy is carried out remotely and occurs due to the irradiation of the necessary organs, which slows down the process of tumor development.

Treatment with folk remedies

It is difficult to imagine that such a serious disease can be cured only by self-hypnosis or folk remedies. modern medicine does not admit the possibility that this is possible and generally hardly recognizes alternative methods of treatment. Nevertheless, there are adherents of similar methods, and there are several reasons for this:

More than once we have heard versions that a cure for any type of cancer has long been invented, but since the treatment in most cases costs the patient a tidy sum, any attempts to leave chemotherapy and other treatments in the past are cut off in the bud. Pharmacology is a huge business that dictates to doctors how and with what it is worth treating patients. No one claims that the known methods of cancer treatment are ineffective, however, there are already a lot of questions about them.
Sometimes doctors refuse to treat a patient, promising only to "reduce pain" - this also pushes people to self-medicate.
There are many additional methods of treatment to classical medicine - they do not run counter to the prescribed procedures and may well help the patient in maintaining immunity. We will discuss these methods below.

Treatment with oils and juices

This method of treatment is more of a panacea, the officially recognized method of fighting cancer for weeks, however, it has also received wide application. The thing is that oils are saturated with useful substances and have enveloping properties that protect cells from damage. However, despite the general belief, the applicable oils directly into the body significantly reduces it. beneficial features- many substances are destroyed in the process of digestion. The surest way to absorb all the beneficial substances is to rub it into previously cleansed skin.

For the treatment of cancerous tumors, the most saturated oils are used: avocado, sea buckthorn, cedar, chestnut, lilac, flax, eucalyptus, chicory, etc.

Juice treatment is a worthy alternative to oil treatment. The fact is that natural juices saturated with vitamins and minerals, which are so needed by the body, invigorating with oncology. However, the weakened gastric compartment does not always cope with the digestion of food, and the consumption of juices significantly facilitates its work.

The most useful juices for gastric tumors are nettle and dandelion juice. They will bring especially many benefits in the spring season - at the beginning of ripening. The juice of these plants increases the immune properties of the body, saturates it with energy and increases efficiency, so do not neglect at least a few spoons a day. It is better to drink juice before meals to increase acidity and make food easier to digest, however, this advice is relevant only in the case of low stomach acidity.

Do not forget about antioxidants, which are found in juices in large quantities, and have an antitumor effect. In the presence of tumors, doctors advise replacing early breakfast with juices, when the body is still saturated due to dinner.

Prevention of tumor development

Today, all the reasons for the appearance of a gastrointestinal stromal tumor of the stomach have not yet been fully studied, but we can already say that the basic patterns and risk zones have been identified, which allows us not only to combat its development, but also to carry out targeted prevention. Scientists have proven that the use of certain foods in food can significantly reduce the risk of a disease, while you should not look for special diet, and it is enough to include in the diet only a few products.

Do not neglect timely research, with the help of which it is possible to identify and remove the tumor even in the early stages of its development. It is worth taking a closer look at your body - do not postpone the examination with the following symptoms:

a high fever that doesn't go down without showing other flu or cold symptoms
fast loss weight;
prostration;
change in taste habits;
bowel dysfunction.

It cannot be denied that the main thing on the way to recovery is the very desire of the patient to recover - in this case, any methods of treatment will acquire a completely different meaning. On the this moment does not exist right way prevent the development of a tumor, and each of us is more or less at risk. However, you can very well minimize the possibility of illness - watch your diet, give up bad habits and do not start stomach diseases. After 45 years, it is worth taking as a norm to come to an appointment with a gastroenterologist, so that, in case of inflammatory process, identify it immediately.

Most often affecting men under the age of 50 years, a malignant tumor of the stomach in many cases is asymptomatic and is diagnosed in the later stages of the development of the pathology.

The disease that causes death in every fifth case of diagnosed cancer begins insidiously, with discomfort that the patient perceives as a sign of gastritis. The degeneration of mucosal cells quickly affects neighboring tissues, causing an irreversible condition, damage to nearby organs and death.

A malignant tumor of the stomach is the fifth most common cause of death in Russians who have been diagnosed with a neoplasm. Cancer is directly associated with the bacterium Helicobacter pylori, which is found in 95% of patients; the risk of neoplasms in patients infected with the bacterium is 12 times higher than in uninfected patients. In developed countries, the susceptibility of the population to a bacterium is -10-15%, in less developed countries and third world countries - 100.

According to the WHO, a decrease in mucosal Helicobacter lesions is directly related to a decrease in the diagnosis of gastric cancer in the population of developed countries. This bacterium is officially recognized as factor No1 that causes neoplasms in the organ, one of the main causes of the development of the disease.

Causes of the disease

Clinical researches showed that the incidence of gastric cancer is directly related to the standard of living - the disease most often affects the socially unprotected segments of the population. Less commonly, it is diagnosed in representatives of the middle and upper strata of the population. This is explained as follows:

the body's resistance directly depends on the nutritional value that the developing organism receives in the first 20 years of its life.
the presence of bad eating habits is most often determined in the less well-off segments of the population;
the presence in the diet of a large amount of salty foods, meat and seafood, damages the mucosa, causes a population of its bacteria Helicobacter pylori;
imbalance in nutrition, the predominance of carbohydrates, low level consumption of vitamins, eating disorders, characteristic of unsecured layers, increases the risk of extensive damage by the pathogenic microorganism Helicobacter, reduces immune defense organism.

External causes that lead to malignant degeneration of mucous membranes include:

living in an area where water and soil contain a large number of nitrates, which in the body turn into the strongest carcinogens, zones of radiation damage;
increased consumption of low quality alcoholic beverages;
smoking;
drug treatment, irritating mucous.

The occurrence of stomach cancer is directly associated with:

heredity, on which the absorption of vitamins and microelements depends, susceptibility to carcinogens, which determines 2/3 of cases of morbidity;
reflux of the contents of the duodenum into the stomach;
the formation of carcinogenic compounds in the body from nitrates and nitrites coming from outside;
insufficient disposal free radicals, which are produced during inflammation of the mucosa of the organ (oxygen and nitrogen compounds) and are neutralized by antioxidants (vitamins A, C, E, B6, folic acid, carotenes, trace elements selenium and zinc) which are found in fruits and vegetables.

More on the topic: Throwing bile into the stomach: what are the causes?

The factor of heredity is directly traced in cases with diffuse view cancer. Clinical studies indicate that in families of patients with this pathology, the risk of disease of the next of kin is 80%, most often the disease occurs in persons with the second blood group (in some regions - the first).

Helicobacter pylori does not have a pronounced pathogenic effect, but prolonged colonization of human mucous membranes by the bacterium causes progressive tissue inflammation and cell mutation, making them capable of rebirth. The combination of the destructive influence of bacteria with hereditary predisposition creates favorable conditions for the development of neoplasms. The process of destabilization of the body takes 30-40 years, which once again confirms that stomach cancer depends on the predisposition to diseases of the gastrointestinal tract formed in childhood and adolescence.

A powerful factor in the prevention of the disease is the identification and treatment in childhood and adolescence of persons suffering from inflammation caused by Helicobacter pylori.

Symptoms of pathology

Signs indicating the development of neoplasms are not clearly expressed at the beginning of the disease:

patients delay the visit to the doctor, attributing ailments to indigestion;
doctors define the patient's condition as a manifestation of mucosal inflammation, do not conduct proper research, limit themselves to prescribing standard medications.

But stomach cancer, even at an early stage, signals a number of symptoms that a qualified doctor should be able to recognize. These signs of the disease were first described by L. Savitsky as a syndrome of small signs of cancer. It:

a sharp decrease in work capacity, fast fatiguability and general weakness kept for several weeks before visiting the doctor;
inexplicable persistent loss of appetite and aversion to food;
a feeling of heaviness in the stomach, the absence of a pleasant feeling from the food eaten, a constant feeling of a full stomach, in some cases - vomiting food 2-3 days ago;
rapid emaciation, pallor of the skin, which have no apparent cause;
constant depression, apathy, loss of interest in the environment.

Complaints included in Savitsky's syndrome of small signs can be preceded by long-term inflammation of the gastric mucosa (sometimes the pathology occurs against the background of complete health). The patient in such cases focuses the doctor's attention on well-known symptoms, the development of new symptoms of malaise is associated with an existing pathology.

Fully symptomatic manifests itself with a formed neoplasm, these are:

constant severe pain radiating to the back;
persistent severe vomiting;
severe weakness;
weight loss;
developing anemia;
pallor, turning into an earthy complexion.

More on the topic: Exacerbation of stomach ulcer

The developing tumor progresses rapidly, the main directions of movement of metastases are:

The lymph nodes;
spleen and liver;
pancreas;
lungs;
ovaries;
mucous membranes of the abdominal cavity.

The development and metastasis of gastric cancer can be considered as a complication of certain diseases:

polyps;
anemia, determined by a deficiency of B vitamins, which ensure the restoration of mucosal cells;
atrophic gastritis;
Menetrier's disease, which causes abnormal growth of mucous membranes;
ulcer disease.

Depending on the localization of the neoplasm in the organ, the symptoms that manifest the pathology may differ:

if the upper part is affected, then the neoplasm gives itself out as cardiac symptoms, pain when swallowing (sometimes the inability to eat). Dehydration, protein starvation, circulatory disorders, deep exhaustion of the body are caused;
pathological changes in the middle parts cause massive bleeding and loss of strength (this is due to the presence in the affected area large vessels). You can diagnose bleeding in stomach cancer by the type of bowel movements - the stool becomes black, pasty. The pain factor is due to the involvement in the process of pancreatic metastasis;
with neoplasms in the lower part of the organ, the process of digestion changes, manifested by vomiting, variable stools, severe pain, and belching.

Stages of development

The disease can develop with different intensity, passing through four stages. With each stage, the probability of detecting cancer increases and the possibility of its cure decreases. How long patients live after diagnosing malignant changes depends on the stage and development of the pathologist. Distinguish:

0 stage, in which only the mucosa is affected. For the treatment of the disease at this stage, it is not necessary to perform an operation on the organ using anesthesia. A cure in this case is possible for 9 cases out of 10;
the first stage, which is characterized by the penetration of the tumor into the mucosa and metastasis to the surrounding lymph nodes. At this stage, the disease is diagnosed extremely rarely, but if detected, a cure occurs in 6 cases out of 10;
the second, when the disease completely affects the mucosa, muscle fibers are not affected, metastases affect the lymph nodes. From the moment of detection, life expectancy is 5 years in every second case;
the third stage, in which the cancer completely grows into the walls of the organ, all nearby lymph nodes are metastasized, five-year survival observed in 2 patients out of 10;
the fourth stage, which is characterized by the penetration of metastases into the large organs of the abdominal cavity, ovaries, lungs, peritoneum. At this stage, 8 cases out of 10 are diagnosed, the mortality rate is 95%.

Types of neoplasms

A tumor can capture an organ in various ways, invading tissues or pushing them out. The form of cancer is also different - according to histology, a diffuse and polyp-like form of the lesion is distinguished.

Benign tumors sometimes occur in the stomach. One of the most common types of such oncology is the submucosal formation of the stomach. It can be a disease of the antrum or submucosa. Diagnosed by endoscopy. Often does not carry any serious consequences, but sometimes a malignant formation (fibrosarcoma, leiomyosarcoma) is formed.

Submucosal tumor

Neoplasm occurs in muscle, fat, nervous or connective tissue.

Pathological formation grows inside the wall, in or submucosal compartment. There are benign (lipoma, leiomyoma, hemangioma, fibroma, neuroendocrine) and malignant (leiomyosarcoma, fibrosarcoma). Lipomas and fibromas are formed in the mucous layer, leiomyomas - in the muscle and nerve tissues, and in the vessels - hemangiomas. Since diseases are often not life-threatening, they do not affect the work of neighboring organs.

Growth proceeds slowly and imperceptibly for the patient. Tumor bodies can be various sizes(benign 3-4 cm), have different contours and is located in a chaotic manner on different layers of the stomach. Submucosal formations often have a homogeneous character and clear contours. Tumors with uneven edges, with hyperechoic inclusions are more often characterized as malignant.

Reasons for the appearance

Gastritis can be the cause of the formation of carcinoma.

Until the end, the exact factors of occurrence are not known. But doctors call several options for why carcinoma appears. Causes common to all types of tumors:

gastritis, stomach ulcer;
Helicobacter pylori bacterium;
genetic predisposition;
malnutrition;
chemical effect on the body;
bad habits (smoking and alcohol).

Symptoms of the disease

It most often occurs in people over 40 years of age. The development of oncology is imperceptible to the patient. It is discovered by chance during an endoscopy. But if you reach large sizes, then the patient is worried about nausea, vomiting, aching pain and constipation. Leiomyomas cause internal bleeding Therefore, people with such a pathology feel constant weakness. Malignant tumors provoke metastasis. Because of them, bleeding occurs in the stomach, a decrease in the cavity of its walls and rapid weight loss. Sometimes such formations change the acidity of the stomach.

Diagnostic methods

Endoscopy is the main way to diagnose the disease.

The main methods of research are radiography and endoscopy. The second diagnostic option is more accurate. The doctor can determine the location, its contour and size. To confirm the diagnosis is used:

x-ray with double contrast allows you to determine the presence of a tumor and its location;
biopsy for more exact definition and confirmation of malignancy;
Ultrasound or MSCT to detect the presence of metastases;
blood tests needed to determine general condition patient.

With a high degree of mortality is gastric cancer.

Malignant degeneration first covers the mucous layer of the walls of the organ, then goes deeper. Metastasis in cancerous lesions of the stomach occurs in more than 80% of patients, in connection with this, the pathology is characterized by a rather severe course.

Concept and statistics

A cancerous lesion of the stomach in most people susceptible to this disease begins from the glandular cells of the epithelial layer. Gradually, the neoplasm spreads deep into and along the walls of the organ.

The malignant form of the stomach has several forms, most often in patients adenocarcinoma is detected.

Examination of patients with stomach cancer made it possible to establish that:

This disease is more typical for men.
The average age of sick people is 65 years. The risk of developing a neoplasm increases after reaching the age of 40 and decreases after 70 years.
More patients are detected in Asian countries. This is due to some features of life and diet, as well as the fact that with a low level of social culture and income, people are less likely to undergo preventive examinations.
Cancer, covering the walls of the stomach, quickly metastasizes. Through the walls of the organ, the tumor can grow into the intestines and pancreatic tissues, with the blood flow, cancer cells enter the tissues of the lungs and liver. Through the lymphatic vessels, cells with an atypical structure pass into the lymph nodes.
Stomach cancer is the second leading cause of death, followed by lung cancer.

According to statistics, 19 people with malignant lesions of the stomach per 100 thousand of the population are detected in Russia, but according to some data, this figure currently reaches 30 people.

In almost 90% of cases, when a cancerous tumor is detected in the stomach, a bacterium such as Helicobacter Pylori is also detected, which suggests its certain participation in the transformation of normal cells into atypical ones.

The picture shows intestinal bacterium Helicobacter pylori, which can lead to stomach cancer

Before the first signs indicating pathology appear, it can take from 11 months and sometimes up to 6 years.

Causes

A detailed study of cancerous tumors of the stomach is carried out by such a science as gastroenterology. This department of medicine studies the causes and mechanisms of the onset of the disease, its symptoms and course features.

Long-term studies do not yet allow us to single out one main reason that affects the degeneration of stomach cells into cancerous ones. Many factors can contribute to atypical changes, and the most important of them include:

The negative impact of chemicals and toxic substances. Carcinogenic components may be contained in herbal products food grown with nitrates. Dangerous for humans are various dyes, solvents, gasoline, these products can get into the stomach if they are handled carelessly. Carcinogens also accumulate in pickled and smoked dishes, excessively fatty foods.
The influence of radiation. Irradiation in a large dose leads to a violation in the structure of cells, which provokes tumor growth.
Helicobacter pylori. This bacterium has a protective shell, so it can stay in the stomach for quite a long time. But the most dangerous thing is that Helicobacter pylori first changes the structure of the mucous membrane, and then disrupts its main function. Thus, conditions for malignant degeneration are created.
The impact of certain groups of drugs. The likelihood of developing a malignant tumor is increased in people taking drugs for rheumatism and a number of other medicines with a long course of use.
and . tobacco, as well as ethanol, contains a large amount of carcinogens and toxic ingredients that adversely affect the state of the whole organism.
Features of nutrition. The degeneration of the mucous layer is facilitated by constant overeating, the use of spicy, smoked, fatty foods.

Gastric cancer also has a hereditary predisposition. If close blood relatives were treated for this disease, then it always makes sense to undergo a periodic examination by a gastroenterologist.

Risk factors include operations on the organ, and a number of precancerous diseases. This is atrophic gastritis chronic course, pernicious anemia, chronic walls organ.

Classification

In oncology, it is customary to use several classifications of gastric cancer, this is necessary to select the most effective course of therapy.

Features of the macroscopic form of growth of cancer in the stomach are reflected in the classification of Bormann. According to this division, this education is divided into four types:

polyp(another name is mushroom-shaped) tumor. This neoplasm from the mucous layer grows into the cavity of the organ, the boundaries of the tumor are clear, the base is wide or in the form of a thin leg. The mushroom type of cancer is prone to slow growth, metastases in this form of the disease occur late. Polyp cancer is mainly found in the antrum.
declared tumor. This neoplasm resembles a saucer in its shape, has raised outer edges and a deepened core. Tumor growth is exophytic, metastases also appear late. The cancerous manifestation in most patients is formed in the greater curvature of the organ.
Ulcerative infiltrative cancerous tumor of the stomach. This formation does not have a clear outline, the growth of the tumor is infiltrative.
Diffuse infiltrative carcinoma. The tumor of this type has a mixed structure, it is formed in the mucous and submucosal layers. On examination, small ulcerations can be detected, and thickening of the walls forms in the later stages of this form of cancer.

According to the histological type, cancer in the stomach is divided into the following types:

. Appears in almost 95% of cases. The tumor receives its development from the secretory cells of the mucous layer.
. This type of tumor is the result cancerous degeneration epithelial cells.
Ring-shaped. The tumor begins to form from the goblet cells responsible for the production of mucus.
Glandular cancer. The reason for the formation of this type of cancer is an atypical transformation of ordinary glandular cells.

The photo shows what the stomach of patients with a cancerous tumor "adenocarcinoma" stage 4 looks like inside

Classification by cellular structure allows you to assess the aggressiveness of the growth of cancer, distinguish:

highly differentiated cancer - cancer cells in their structure have little difference compared to normal ones. This form has the slowest growth rate and tends to metastasize only at the last stage.
moderately differentiated cancer has an average degree of difference from normal cells of the stomach.
A poorly differentiated form of cancer is exhibited when atypical cells differ almost completely in structure from normal ones.
Undifferentiated. The tumor grows from immature cells of the mucosal wall. Differs in accelerated growth, most malignant course and the rapid appearance distant metastases.

According to the type of its growth, gastric cancer is divided into:

diffuse. The cells of a growing tumor have no connection with each other. The tumor covers the entire thickness of the walls of the organ, but does not protrude into the cavity. diffuse type formations are more often detected in undifferentiated cancer.
intestinal type. With this type of pathology, the altered cells have a connection with each other, the neoplasm protrudes into the cavity of the organ. The intestinal type of cancer is characterized by slow growth and is characterized by the least aggressiveness.

One of the most important classifications cancerous growth stomach is a subdivision of TNM. This classification is used throughout the world, it helps to determine the extent of cancer and establishes the expected prognosis of treatment.

The abbreviation stands for:

T- tumor. The number next to this letter indicates the degree of cancer growth.
N- node, that is, the penetration of cancer into lymphatic vessels.
M- Availability .

The prevalence and size of the tumor in the stomach:

T1- a malignant tumor grows into the wall of the organ. This stage is divided into two. Stage T1a is limited to the connective tissue that lies below the submucosal layer. T1b - the tumor has not spread beyond the submucosal layer.
T2- the neoplasm begins to penetrate the muscle layer.
T3- the tumor began to go into the superficial shell.
T4 The tumor has grown through all layers of the stomach wall. T4a - The tumor has extended beyond the wall of the stomach. T4b - The neoplasm has begun its transition to the esophagus, liver, or abdominal wall.

Defeat lymph nodes:

N0 There are no cancer cells in the lymph nodes.
N1- Cancer cells are detected in one or two lymph nodes located near the stomach.
N2- defeat of 3-6 lymph nodes.
N3a- damage from 7 to 15 lymph nodes located close to the stomach.
N3b- defeat of more than 15 lymph nodes.

The spread of cancer from the stomach to other organs is divided into:

M0- There is no malignant lesion of other organs.
M1- Metastases are diagnosed in distant internal organs.

Poorly differentiated

Poorly differentiated gastric cancer has certain features of atypically altered cells.

With this type of tumor, cancer cells have an increased ability to grow several times. Cellular elements while becoming similar to stem cells.

This determines that they can perform only two functions - to receive nutrients and keep sharing. Such a change determines the high aggressiveness of poorly differentiated cancer.

The recovery prognosis for patients with poorly differentiated forms of cancer depends on the stage of the process. If the disease is detected at the first stage, then complex treatment allows 90 percent of people out of a hundred to be completely cured.

In the second stage, the survival rate reaches 50%. In the last stages, the prognosis is not so comforting. Due to the presence of metastases and the large coverage of the walls of the organ by a cancerous neoplasm, the patient is offered only supportive therapy.

Since low-grade gastric cancer is prone to aggressive current and a rapid change of stages, it is rarely detected at the initial stages of development.

This affects the fact that mortality in this type of disease is quite high. Five years after diagnosis, only 30 percent of patients survive.

undifferentiated

Histological examination of cells in undifferentiated gastric cancer reveals their great variety, ranging from lymphocyte-like to giant multinuclear. Atypical cells almost completely lose their identity with those from which they originated.

The features of poorly differentiated cancer also include almost complete absence supporting structure - stroma and early appearance of ulceration.

Undifferentiated cancer is characterized by rapid development of all stages, early appearance clinical signs and metastasis. With this type malignant neoplasm one of the worst survival prognosis.

In almost 75% of cases, the detection of undifferentiated cancer is combined with the detection of secondary foci in distant organs. This type of tumor is characterized by frequent relapses.

infiltrative

The infiltrative form of a cancerous tumor of the stomach usually covers the lower region of the organ.

This type of cancer is visually similar to a deep ulcer, the bottom of which is bumpy, and the edges are pale gray. Symptoms are similar to stomach ulcers.

The borders of an infiltrative-ulcerous tumor are fuzzy, cancer cells can be scattered throughout all layers of the stomach, which leads to complete defeat cancerous process of the whole organ.

The spread of atypical cells in the submucosal layer with the accumulation of lymphatic vessels gives impetus to early appearance metastasis.

As the malignant process worsens, the affected wall thickens, the folds of the inner mucous wall smooth out, and the stomach loses its necessary elasticity.

With infiltrative cancer, the tumor spreads widely and is devoid of borders limiting it. In the study, individual cancerous inclusions are found more than five centimeters from the expected boundaries of the malignant formation. Thereby given form neoplasms are one of the most malignant.

saucer-shaped

The saucer-shaped form of a cancerous neoplasm of the stomach is a deep ulcer surrounded by borders in the form of a roller.

This roller has a bumpy surface and uneven height. The bottom of such an ulcer can be metastases that pass to neighboring organs. In the middle of the bottom, a grayish or Brown color. The size of the tumor varies from 2 to 10 cm.

Localization of saucer-shaped cancer is the anterior wall of the antrum of the stomach, less often the greater curvature and the posterior wall of the organ.

The survival prognosis of patients with saucer-shaped cancer depends on the size of this tumor, its spread to neighboring organs. In the first stages, it is possible to stop the process of ulceration with modern methods of treatment, but relapses occur quite often.

Cardioesophageal

Cardioesophageal cancer is a malignant tumor that affects the lower part of the esophagus and the part of the stomach that connects to the esophagus. Such an arrangement of cancer presents certain difficulties in diagnosing the disease, and therefore this form of cancer is rarely detected at the first stage.

One of the main causes of cardioesophageal cancer, oncologists call reflux disease, in which acidic food is thrown from the stomach into the esophagus.

Combined cancer of the two digestive organs is less treatable, a favorable outcome of the disease is observed only in the first stages of the disease. At the last stage, the operation is practically not performed, and therefore patients are offered supportive courses of treatment.

squamous

Squamous cell malignant tumor is formed from the epithelium, or rather its flat cells. These cells, along with glandular ones, are involved in the formation of the mucous layer of the stomach.

It is possible to assume the development of this form of cancer by the appearance of areas of dysplasia - foci of proliferation of atypical epithelium.

At the first stage of the disease, it can be almost completely cured. But the difficulty lies in the diagnosis, so there are few patients with the first stage of squamous cell carcinoma of the stomach.

In the last stage of this type of malignant neoplasm, the five-year survival rate is only 7%.

exophytic

Exophytic cancer is characterized by damage to only one specific area of the stomach. Cancer of this type grows in the form of a polyp, node, plaque, saucer.

The growth of the formation occurs in the lumen of the stomach, its cells are tightly interconnected, this leads to a slow growth of the tumor. Exophytic cancer causes the appearance of metastases only in the final stages.

Treatment involves surgical removal neoplasm, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. With timely intervention, the prognosis for the patient is favorable.

diffuse

Diffuse cancer is one of the aggressive forms of stomach cancer. The tumor in this type of neoplasm grows inside the organ, while it affects all its layers - mucous, submucosal, muscular.

Cancer cells in diffuse tumor are not interconnected and therefore can be located throughout the thickness of the organ, this does not allow to clearly define the boundaries of the cancerous lesion.

The germination of the tumor along the connective tissue layers leads to a thickening of the walls of the organ, which affects the loss of elasticity and makes the stomach immobile. Gradually, the lumen of the organ decreases significantly.

A diffuse tumor grows slowly, due to this, pronounced symptoms of the disease appear in the last stages. This determines the unfavorable outcome of treatment and high mortality.

adenogenic

Adenogenic cancer belongs to the group of undifferentiated tumors. Such tumors are formed from the epithelial cells of the mucous layer, which, as a result of malignant degeneration, lose their ability to function normally.

Adenogenic formation looks like strands, they go deep into the thickness of the stomach and form loose areas of altered tissues.

Adenogenic form of stomach cancer is endowed with increased ability to early metastasis, this determines its high malignancy. The treatment of such a malignant neoplasm is always difficult, the prognosis is usually not entirely favorable.

Oncology of the antrum

The antrum of the stomach is lower divisions organ.

According to statistics, it is in this place that most of the malignant processes- 70% of all stomach tumors.

In the antrum most often reveal:

adenocarcinoma.
Solid cancer with a non-glandular structure.
Skirr is a cancer that forms from connective tissues.

Tumors located in the antrum are mostly characterized by infiltrative (exophytic) growth. Education is devoid of clear outlines, prone to the rapid appearance of metastases. Relapse of the disease in antral forms of cancer occurs more often.

Oncology of the cardiac department

In the cardial part of the stomach, cancer is detected in 15% of patients. With this form of cancer, a painless course of the disease is often detected.

The latent course of cancer is also characteristic, in which the tumor is already detected at an impressive size. From the cardial part of the stomach, a cancerous tumor often passes to the esophagus and then the symptoms of this pathology appear.

The first signs of stomach cancer

At an early stage of development, gastric cancer does not give a clear clinical picture. But still, at careful attention to your health, you can notice several periodically appearing manifestations of the disease.

Similar manifestations of stomach cancer are referred to as "small diagnostic symptoms", this is:

Violation of habitual well-being, expressed by weakness, increased fatigue.
Decreased appetite.
Discomfort in the stomach. Some people are bothered by a feeling of heaviness, others feel a pronounced fullness of the stomach, reaching the appearance of soreness.
Weight loss.
Mental changes. They are expressed in the appearance of apathy, depression.

Quite often, initially, some patients with stomach cancer are worried about dyspeptic disorders.

They appear:

Decrease in the usual appetite or its complete absence.
The appearance of aversion to previously favorite types of food. Especially often a person is reluctant to eat protein foods - dishes from fish, meat.
Lack of physical satisfaction from food.
Nausea, occasional vomiting.
Rapid fullness of the stomach.

Usually one of the above symptoms can be with errors in nutrition. But if there are several of them at once, then it is necessary to exclude a malignant neoplasm.

Common symptoms of the disease in women and men

To general symptoms and signs indicating the development of stomach cancer in men and women include:

Pain and feeling of heaviness in the chest. Similar symptoms can move to the back and shoulder area.
Disorders in the work of the digestive system. Belching, heartburn, severe swelling in many patients appear even before the pain sign of cancer.
i.e. swallowing disorders. Such a change most often indicates a malignant tumor in the upper part of the stomach. Initially, difficulty is caused by swallowing solid food bolus, then soft and semi-liquid food ceases to pass normally.
Nausea due to the fact that the lumen of the stomach decreases, and there is no proper digestion of food. Relief of well-being often appears after vomiting.
Vomiting with blood indicates a widespread cancerous process or tumor decay. Blood can be scarlet or in the form of separate inclusions. Frequent bleeding cause anemia.
The appearance of blood in the stool. You can determine the release of blood by black stool.

As the malignant neoplasm grows, symptoms of intoxication join - weakness, lethargy, irritability, anemia, and there may be fever. When cancer cells penetrate into other organs, their functioning is disrupted, and, accordingly, new symptoms of the disease appear.

Symptoms in children

Stomach cancer also occurs in children. Symptoms of the disease increase gradually and in the initial stages they are often confused with manifestations of enterocolitis, gastritis, biliary dyskinesia.

Often prescribed conventional treatment, which somewhat smoothes the symptoms of the disease.

Symptoms that indicate stomach cancer in a child are usually divided into three groups:

Early signs - deterioration of well-being, poor appetite, weakness.
Typical symptoms, they increase gradually. These are pains, discomfort in the stomach, the child complains of belching, bloating, colic. It happens sometimes liquid stool mixed with blood.
A detailed picture of a cancerous tumor appears at the last stage. The child has almost constant pain in the abdomen, the appetite is almost completely absent, there may be prolonged constipation. Often there is a clinic with which the child enters the hospital. In children, a large tumor can be felt through the abdominal wall.

Degrees and stages

There are five consecutive stages of gastric cancer:

Zero stage. The growing tumor has microscopic dimensions, is located on the surface of the mucous membrane, there is no damage to other organs and lymph nodes.
First stage is divided into two. Stage 1a - the neoplasm does not spread beyond the walls of the organ, and there are no cancer cells in the lymph nodes. 1b, the tumor also does not extend beyond the walls, but there are already cancerous inclusions in the lymph nodes.
Second the stage also has two flow options. 2a tumor - a tumor in the walls, cancer cells were found in three to six lymph nodes; cancer captures the muscle layer, there is a lesion of one or two lymph nodes adjacent to the organ; the lymph nodes are not affected, but the cancer has covered the entire thickness of the muscle layer. 2b - tumor within the wall, cancerous inclusions in seven and more lymph nodes; a tumor in the muscle layer, atypical cells from three to six lymph nodes.
On the third stage, the tumor grows through the wall of the stomach, affects nearby organs and several groups of lymph nodes.
Fourth the stage is set when there are metastases in distant systems and lymph nodes.

How quickly the tumor develops and ways of metastasis

Stomach cancer develops slowly in most people. Precancerous pathologies can sometimes be in a person for more than 10 years.

Due to the slow formation, stomach cancer is often detected in the later stages, that is, when treatment cannot fully help increase health. If Helicobacter pylori is present in the stomach, then cancerous tumors in growth are accelerated.

In the later stages, metastases appear, which spread in three ways:

By implantation, or in other words, contact. Metastases are formed by the germination of the tumor in neighboring organs - the esophagus, spleen, gallbladder, intestines.
Lymphatic path. There are lymphatic vessels in the walls of the organ, into which cancer cells penetrate and then they, together with the lymph flow, enter.
Hematogenous way - the promotion of cancer cells along with the blood. Metastases usually appear in the liver due to portal vein. The hematogenous pathway contributes to the appearance of malignant tumors in the kidneys, adrenal glands.

Can an ulcer turn into cancer?

Peptic ulcer of the stomach can give impetus to the cancerous process.

Malignancy occurs in 3-15 percent of people with stomach ulcers.

The reason for the transition of an ulcer into cancer is a constant damaging effect on the cells of the organ.

Cells with a disturbed structure gradually lose their ability to replace them with typical, new cells, and atypical ones begin to form in their place.

There are a number of factors that contribute to the malignancy of the ulcer. This is the use of a large amount of spicy and smoked foods, a preference for using hot dishes, a small amount of plant foods.

The risk of developing cancer increases with frequent relapses of the disease, in old age and with a hereditary predisposition to cancer.

Complications

With the development of a cancerous tumor in the stomach, the development of serious complications is possible, these include:

Perforation of the walls of the body.

Radiation therapy and chemotherapy are prescribed courses before and after surgery. At the last stage, only radiation or chemotherapy is used, which allows you to prolong the life of the patient.

How long do patients live and the prognosis of survival

The outcome of treatment of a detected cancerous neoplasm in the stomach depends on its stage, the prevalence of the pathology, the age of the patient, and the presence of metastases.

First stage

When detecting cancer of the body of the stomach at the first stage and after successful treatment 80 people out of a hundred survive over the next five years.

Second

The five-year survival rate is estimated at 56%.

Third

In the third stage, stomach cancer is detected most often. At this stage, the five-year survival rate is just over 35%.

Tumor of the stomach is one of the most common oncological diseases. Among the tumor formations of the stomach are:

malignant tumors;
benign tumors.

Malignant formations occupy 94-96% of all tumor pathology of the stomach. More than 90% of them are gastric cancer. Cancer is called malignant tumors from epithelial tissue. The remaining share for the sarcoma. Sarcoma is a malignant tumor that develops from non-epithelial tissue.

Cancer of the stomach in terms of morbidity and mortality has firmly established itself in second position, yielding only first place to lung cancer. Today, about a million people worldwide suffer from stomach cancer. In men, this pathology occurs twice as often as in women. Most exposed this disease seniors are considered. The incidence rate varies widely by geographic region. It is believed that this is due to the nature of nutrition in individual areas of the globe.

Being such a significant pathology, most developed countries do not have a full-fledged screening program for gastric cancer. This screening program only operates in Japan. The main essence of screening is the detection of a disease on early stages its development, when still possible, with highly likely to lead a successful fight against cancer.

Being a fairly common disease, the treatment of cancer remains a difficult task. Cancer symptoms on initial stages non-specific and are hidden under the masks of other diseases. The key to successful therapy is timely and early diagnosis. Complex application surgical, radiation and chemotherapy gives good prognosis. However, often the detection of a tumor occurs when the treatment is already powerless.

Risk Factors for Stomach Cancer

In many ways, the appearance of this oncological problem depends on factors that affect a person from the outside.

There are the following risk factors for the development of stomach cancer:

Smoking is one of the most aggressive factors. Repeated studies in this area have shown that smokers get sick twice as often as non-smokers;
Alcohol, no less harmful factor. Alcohol, in contact with the gastric mucosa many times, causes its alteration (damage), which subsequently causes metaplasia (degeneration of the epithelium, not characteristic of this localization of the digestive tract) and malignancy (acquisition of malignant signs);
The diet and nature of nutrition significantly affects the risk of developing stomach cancer in an individual. Presence on the menu enough animals and vegetable proteins, fresh fruits and vegetables reduces the risk of developing this pathology. Overuse table salt on the contrary, it increases the chances of stomach tumors. Japanese addiction to seafood may have its unkind consequences. In addition to copper salts, they associate this problem with excessive consumption of lamb, mussels, jellyfish and foods containing large amounts of animal fat;
Helicobacter pylori- a microorganism whose relationship with gastric ulcer has been reliably determined. Scientists who have proven the connection between Helicobacter pylori infection and peptic ulcer stomach and duodenum were awarded the Nobel Prize. AT last years pundits consider no less important and the relationship of Helicobacter pylori with tumors of the stomach;
Male gender. As mentioned above, malignant tumors of the stomach in men occur up to two times more often;
Professional hazards. Prolonged exposure to the body of toxic substances used in production can serve as an incentive for malignancy;
Postponed operations on the stomach;
Burdened heredity. In people with relatives with this pathology, the risk of cancer is much higher than in the general population;
pernicious anemia;
Polyps in the stomach, etc.

Classification of tumors of the stomach

All benign formations can be divided into the following types:

Epithelial tumors - develop from the epithelium. Morphologically they are polyps. A polyp is a consequence of a violation of embryonic development or, more rarely, the phenomenon of “unsuccessful” regeneration. The polyp can be malignant, that is, malignant;
Non-epithelial tumors are tumors arising from underlying tissues. Among them are distinguished:
- Lipoma is a benign tumor of adipose tissue;
- Leiomyoma is a benign tumor of smooth muscle;
- Fibroma is a benign tumor of connective tissue;
- Hemangioma is a benign vascular tumor;
- Fibromyoma is a mixed tumor that includes muscle and connective tissue elements;

Separately, neuroendocrine neoplasms can be distinguished. These tumors develop from cells of the so-called APUD system. Clinically manifest as symptoms of a variety of hormonal disruptions.

Malignant tumors of the stomach are represented by cancer.

Stage classification of cancer:

Stage I, a tumor with a diameter of up to two centimeters, metastases to the lymph nodes and distant structures of the body are not detected;
Stage II, reaches sizes up to five centimeters. Metastasis to regional lymph nodes is possible;
Stage III, larger than five centimeters. Such a tumor of the stomach grows into the adjacent layers of the gastric wall (muscular, serous), as well as into neighboring organs. Suggests the presence of distant metastases;

Increasingly in recent years, physicians are using TNM classification. This classification takes into account the properties of the primary tumor (tumor), the presence of metastases in the lymph nodes (nodulus) and distant metastases (metastasis).

Growth forms of stomach cancer:

infiltrative growth. It is impossible to determine the exact growth limit of atypical tissue;
Ulcer-cancer has an ulcerated surface, but at the same time it grows infiltratively into the wall of the stomach;
Saucer-shaped cancer has the appearance of a crater with a flat bottom and edges formed by a tumor rising along the periphery;
A polypoid growth is a tumor that grows into the lumen of the stomach.

The first two forms of growth are distinguished by a pronounced malignant course and early metastasis. Diagnosis and treatment of such tumors is difficult.

What are the symptoms of a stomach tumor?

In the early stages of its development, the disease has symptoms characteristic of precancerous conditions:

Peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum;
Polyp of the stomach;
Gastritis etc.

The first symptoms of cancer are nonspecific. Patients complain of a feeling of heaviness in the abdomen, fullness of the stomach, nausea, heartburn, vomiting, pain in the upper abdomen and much more. Sometimes for the first time the disease manifests itself with symptoms of anemia.

In medicine, the so-called "syndrome of small signs" is isolated.

Symptoms that make up this syndrome:

Change in appetite, deterioration;
Aversion to food or certain specific foodstuffs. Lack of satisfaction with food
Weight loss;
General weakness, fatigue, weakness;
Patients experience a feeling of a full stomach, distension at the top of the abdomen, nausea, belching, vomiting, heartburn, dull pain, severity;
blanching skin due to anemia;
Change in psychological status. Patients experience a deterioration in mood, depression appears.

Late symptoms of stomach tumors:

The appearance of severe pain in the upper abdomen, which does not have a clear irradiation. The pain may vary depending on the germination in neighboring organs, then symptoms characteristic of the defeat of these organs may appear. Over time, the pain becomes intense;
Increasing incidence of belching and vomiting. Characterized by vomiting with fragments of food eaten. Vomiting may take the form of " coffee grounds», characteristic symptom for ulcerative tumors. With profuse bleeding, vomiting of scarlet, unchanged blood appears;
Progressive weight loss;
aggravated general malaise, weakness, weakness;
Deepening depression;

Diagnosis of tumors of the stomach

The first step in the diagnosis is always the collection of anamnesis (medical history). This is an important stage. Here the doctor determines the presence of complaints and risk factors, which, in itself, can lead to the right idea.

At the next stage, the doctor proceeds to a physical examination. The physical examination includes:

Inspection. There is a definition external signs diseases (pallor of the skin, emaciation, etc.);
Palpation. Using it, a doctor can determine a tumor-like formation in the abdominal cavity. Palpation of the lymph nodes is performed, which is indicative for the diagnosis of metastases;
Percussion (percussion) is a true tool in the hands of a specialist turns into a good diagnostic tool. The percussion borders of the tumor are determined;
Auscultation (listening) helps to assess bowel sounds and the level of motility of the stomach and intestines.

Unfortunately, these methods are effective only at the later stages of diagnosis. After taking a history and performing a physical examination, the doctor will apply instrumental diagnostics. The gold standards for diagnosing stomach tumors are:

X-ray method;
endoscopic method.

Additional tools for instrumental diagnostics:

Fluorescent method;
Ultrasound procedure;
CT scan;
Magnetic resonance imaging;
Laparoscopy;
The use of tumor markers.

Diagnosis of gastric cancer using these techniques, allows you to refine the diagnosis.

Treatment of stomach tumors

Cancer treatment may include:

Radical - aimed at removing the tumor or metastases;
Palliative - aimed at eliminating the symptoms of this disease and improving the patient's quality of life.

Radical treatment involves three main levers:

Surgery. This radical type of intervention is aimed at removing the tumor and metastases from the body. surgically. Depending on the spread of the tumor process, the tactics of the operation will also be selected. Not all surgical interventions are radical. Unfortunately, sometimes surgeons resort to palliative care;
Chemotherapeutic treatment. Helper method, which, when used in combination with other methods, can contribute to a complete recovery. However, ideal combinations of chemotherapy drugs have not been found. To date, chemotherapy in most cases can only slightly prolong the life of the patient;
Radiation therapy is a rapidly progressive method of treatment. The use of competent radiation therapy will have much more positive impact than negative. Skepticism about radiotherapy is not justified. Modern approach minimizes radiation exposure to the body.

The main task of the use of radiation therapy for gastric cancer is the summing up of high doses radioactive radiation to the primary tumor and metastases without affecting neighboring healthy tissues. All bowl use intraoperative application of radiation treatment. An important addition to surgery is radiation exposure to the tumor bed, in order to destroy the remaining small metastases after the intervention. Like the early methods of tumor therapy listed above, radiation therapy itself remains only a palliative method of treatment. Rational use radiotherapy along with surgical method and chemotherapy significantly improves the patient's prognosis for life and recovery.

Treatment of a tumor of the stomach with folk remedies

Modern traditional medicine is skeptical of attempts to treat oncological problems with folk methods. People resort to treatment with folk remedies for three main reasons:

Lack of trust in traditional medicine initially. The version is quite justified, since in the modern world, pharmacological companies dictate the tactics of managing patients to doctors, and today chemotherapy brings a lot of money to drug manufacturers. Any attempt to invent a cure for cancer is cut in the bud;
Refusal traditional medicine from the management of an “unpromising” patient, it forces him to turn to folk remedies of alternative medicine;
Helper function folk remedies in the treatment of gastric cancer.

Both adherents of traditional medicine and adherents of non-traditional methods agree that the most important thing on the road to recovery is the desire of the patient to recover and fight for his life.