Survival rates for sufferers of cancer have improved over the years because of two main factors:

• Improved treatment methods.
• Improved screening and monitoring, which helps to detect and begin treatment of the cancer earlier.

The prognosis for the cancer sufferer is best when cancer is detected early and proper treatment begun as soon as possible. If cancer is detected early enough, then treatments have much better chances of success, driving the cancer into remission.

Diet and lifestyle changes can significantly reduce the risk of developing many forms of cancer, including some of the cancers discussed below. Even in those cases where cancer is caught too late to be cured, a range of treatment options can still be effective in relieving the pain and symptoms that are caused by the cancer, while at the same time improving the quality of life for the sufferer.

Metastatic Cancers occur when cells from tumors in one part of the body spread to other areas and organs. Liver Cancer for example is often caused by colon, lung, and breast cancer cells spreading to the liver. In these cases, the cancer is named and treated according to the organ or area in which it began.

So for example, if the cancer started in the lung and then spread to the liver, the cancer is called Metastatic Lung Cancer, and the cancer – even that part of the cancer in the liver – will be treated as a lung cancer.

Colon Cancer And Other Digestive Cancers include cancers of various sections and organs of the Digestive System. These sections and organs of the Digestive System are essential to digestion, and any loss of function of these organs can cause very serious health consequences, which in addition to the problems that these cancers themselves can cause, makes these disorders extremely serious.

Included within colon cancer and other digestive cancers are the following conditions:

Colon Cancer
Colon Cancer is cancer of the large intestine (also called the Colon). Rectal Cancer is cancer of the colon’s lowest 6 inches. Both of these cancers are called Colorectal Cancer.

Most Colon cancer begins as small, benign (noncancerous) clumps of cells called adenomatous polyps, which produce no symptoms. However, these polyps may develop into cancer over time, and such cancer will cause changes in bowel habits, bloody stool, gas, and/or abdominal pain.

Esophageal Cancer
Esophageal Cancer is cancer that starts the Esophagus, that causes a range of symptoms, such as difficulty swallowing (dysphagia), sensations of food becoming stuck in the throat or chest, throat pain, weight loss, hiccups, hoarseness, and/or vomiting blood.

Gallbladder Cancer
Gallbladder Cancer is a rare form of cancer that rarely produces symptoms in the early stages. Because of this, early Gallbladder Cancer is often discovered only when the gallbladder is removed as a treatment for gallstones.

In later stages however this cancer can cause abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, jaundice (yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes), unintended weight loss, and/or loss of appetite. Surgical removal of the gallbladder or the cancerous part of bile duct has been the main treatment for this cancer.

Liver Cancer
Liver Cancer is cancer in the cells of the Liver. Most Liver Cancers are believed to be metastatic cancers, which occur when cells from tumors in other parts of the body spread to the liver and other organs. Cancers of the colon, lung, and breast commonly spread to the liver.

Primary Liver Cancer – that is cancer that starts in the liver – is not common, and when it occurs it is rarely discovered early, and usually doesn’t respond well to current treatments. As a result, the prognosis for people with Primary Liver Cancer is often poor.

The risks of developing Primary Liver Cancer can be greatly reduced by avoiding hepatitis infection and by avoiding scaring of the liver (cirrhosis).

Liver Cancer can cause abdominal pain, abdominal swelling, nausea, vomiting, weakness, fatigue, jaundice (yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes), unintended weight loss, and/or loss of appetite.

Oral And Throat Cancer
Oral And Throat Cancer includes cancer of the lips, mouth, tongue, gums, throat, and salivary glands. Periodic self-examination of the mouth is the best way to detect the early signs of oral and throat cancer. For example, is there a new lump in your mouth that doesn’t seem to be healing ? Many oral and throat cancers are advanced by the time medical advice is sought, because in early stages they produce no pain or they cause minor symptoms that are similar to other health problems, such as a toothache.

The main symptoms of oral and throat cancers include one or more of the following:

o Bad breath
o Cheek thickening
o Difficulty chewing
o Difficulty moving the jaw
o Difficulty moving the tongue
o Difficulty swallowing
o Discoloration inside the mouth. e.g. white, red or dark patches
o Feeling like something is caught in the throat
o Loose teeth
o Lump in the neck
o Lumps in the mouth
o Mouth pain
o Mouth sores that increase in size or don’t heal
o Numb tongue
o Numbness in the mouth
o Pain in the jaw
o Pain in the teeth or gums
o Soreness in the throat
o Swelling in the jaw
o Voice changes

Pancreatic Cancer
Pancreatic Cancer is a dangerous cancer that occurs when cancerous cells form in the tissues of the pancreas. Pancreatic Cancer is one of the most dangerous cancers because it spreads rapidly and produces few if any symptoms in the early stages. As a result, pancreatic cancer usually isn’t detected until it is quite advanced. By the time symptoms develop and the cancer is detected, it is likely to have spread to other parts of the body, eliminating surgical removal as a possible treatment.

Pancreatic Cancer can cause abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, itching, jaundice (yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes), unintended weight loss, and/or loss of appetite.

Stomach Cancer
Stomach Cancer is another dangerous cancer, because it produces few (if any) symptoms in the early stages, which usually means that it isn’t detected until it is quite advanced. By the time symptoms develop and the cancer is detected, it is likely to have spread to other parts of the body, eliminating surgical removal as a possible treatment.

Stomach Cancer is most common in those areas where infection with Helicobacter pylori bacteria is common and where the diet is high in salted, smoked, and pickled foods. This commonly occurs in areas that lack refrigeration as a means of preserving food, so they resort to age old methods of salting, smoking, and pickling their food.

The symptoms of stomach cancer include discomfort in the middle or upper abdomen; abdominal discomfort that is aggravated by eating; black, tarry stools; vomiting blood; vomiting after meals; weakness; fatigue; weight loss; and loss of appetite.

Related posts:

1. Colorectal Cancer Symptoms
2. Stomach Cancer Symptoms and Treatment
3. What Are Digestive System Disorders?

Stomach cancer is a disease that is much more common worldwide than it is within the United States, although the disease will still affect around 21,700 Americans on an annual basis and will be the cause of around 11,200 deaths a year in the USA. Also known as gastric cancer, stomach cancer is a disease that generally speaking tends to affect older people – approximately two thirds of people with stomach cancer are aged 65 years of age or older, and the average age at the time that stomach cancer is diagnosed is 71.

There is a risk of about 1 in 100 of developing stomach cancer in a person’s lifetime and although the disease affects people of both sexes the risk is slightly higher in men than it is in women

Causes of Stomach Cancer

The cause of this type of cancer is not known and is the subject of ongoing research.

Having said that, there are a number of risk factors for stomach cancer that are known to make a person more likely to get the disease, including the following:

Helicobacter pylori infection – it is thought that infection with Helicobacter pylori (which is a type of bacteria) is a cause of stomach cancer, in particular cancers which are in the lower part of the stomach.

Diet – a diet that includes large amounts of smoked foods, salted fish or meats, foods that are high in starch and low in fiber, pickled vegetables, and also foods and beverages that contain nitrates and nitrites can increase the risk of stomach cancer.

Tobacco use - the incidence of stomach cancer amongst smokers is around twice that of people who do not smoke

Age and Sex – Stomach cancer is more common amongst men than it is amongst women, and the majority of people diagnosed with stomach cancer are in their 60s or older

Other risk factors include having type A blood, having undergone previous stomach surgery, having a family history of stomach cancer, and being exposed to workplace environmental factors such as dust and fumes.

Symptoms of Stomach Cancer

One of the reasons why it is so difficult to detect stomach cancer early is because it is rare for stomach cancer to cause symptoms in the early stages.

Someone with stomach cancer may have the following symptoms: a burning sensation that may be indigestion, or heartburn; discomfort or a pain in the abdomen, bloating after eating, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting with or without blood. It is important to note that most of these symptoms are far more likely to occur with non-cancerous conditions than they are to be evidence of stomach cancer.

Your doctor will want to examine you if you suspect that you have any of the above symptoms and no other medical condition can be determined. A physical examination, and a medical history will be taken from you on your first visit. Diagnostic tests will be ordered to help rule out other diseases or conditions and to confirm the presence of stomach cancer.

Tests for Stomach Cancer

There are a number of different tests for stomach cancer including the following.

Upper Endoscopy. This is the main test used to diagnose stomach cancer and is a procedure where the doctor can examine the inside of your esophagus, stomach, and duodenum by placing a thin lighted tube, called an endoscope, down your throat. A sample tissue may be taken to be sent for biopsy.

Upper gastrointestinal (GI) series. This is an x-ray test that looks at the esophagus, stomach and the first part of the small intestine. This is the test that requires you to drink a solution that contains barium.

Fecal occult blood test, which is when you place a small stool sample on a special card. The sample is tested in the doctor’s office or may be sent to a laboratory for testing.

Another test is the endoscopic ultrasound, which is an imaging technique where sound waves are used to create a computer image for the doctor to look at your esophagus and stomach . For this procedure a small transducer is placed on the tip of an endoscope which goes down the throat and is guided into the stomach.

Stomach Cancer Treatment

Treatment for stomach cancer if you have it may include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and also surgery to remove any cancerous tissue. A gastrectomy may be done to remove part of the stomach.

The treatment an individual patient receives will depend on many factors, including the location and stage of the tumor, the patient’s age, general state of health, and personal preferences.

Related posts:

1. Colorectal Cancer Symptoms
2. Lactose Intolerance
3. Stomach Ulcers

The function of the digestive system is to take the food and liquids that we put into our mouths and then either turn these foods and liquids into nutrients or energy needed by the cells of our body, or alternatively turn them into waste products that are then expelled by our body as bowel movements.

When something goes wrong with this every day process and some part of the process doesn’t work properly, the end result is one kind or another of a digestive system disorders. There are many common digestive system disorders.

Common Digestive System Disorders

Colon and Rectal Cancer

Colon and Rectal cancer is also referred to as colorectal cancer.This type of cancer is a malignant cell that is found in the colon or rectum region of the body. The large intestine is made up of the colon and the rectum. Colon and rectal cancers share so many common features that they are referred to as the same cancer which is how the name colorectal cancer came about.

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of death by cancer in the U.S.A. The number of new cases of colorectal cancer has decreased because in large part, the sigmoidoscopic screening and polyp removal procedures initiated by the medical community.

Stomach Cancer

Stomach cancer is also called, gastric cancer. This cancer affected approximately 21,700 Americans during 2001. The majority of those individuals were in their 60s and 70s. The risk factors for developing stomach cancer are Helicobacter pylori infection and a diet that consists of the following: eating large amounts of smoked foods, salted fish and meat, foods that are high in starch and low in fiber, pickled vegetables, and foods and beverages that contain nitrates and nitrites.

Diarrhea

Diarrhea is watery stool, or an increased frequency in stool, or both as compared to the normal amount of stool passed by the individual. Diarrhea can be short-term or it can be related to a bacterial or viral infection, or it can be long-term which is usually related to a functional disorder or intestinal disease

Diverticular Disease

This disease occurs in small pouches that bulge out in the colon. It is an inflammation or infection in the pouches.

Gas in the Digestive Tract

You get gas in your digestive tract by swallowing air or during the breakdown process of certain foods by the bacteria that is present in the colon. Everyone has gas. It can be uncomfortable and certainly embarrassing to pass the gas. The average person produces 1 to 3 pints of gas a day and pass gas through their rectums about 14 times each day.

Heartburn

Heartburn is what most of us get from time to time. Chronic heartburn is a digestive disorder called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). GERD is caused by gastric acid that flows from the stomach and into the esophagus.

Hepatitis

This is an inflammation of the liver that can result in liver cell damage. There are two types of hepatitis – acute and chronic and six main types of the hepatitis virus.

Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

There are several different diseases that fall under this category all of which require a doctor for treatment. Ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease are two of these diseases.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome – more commonly referred to as IBS – is an intestinal disorder that causes cramping, gassiness, bloating and changes in the bowel habits of the individual with the disorder.

Lactose Intolerance

People with lactose intolerance lack an enzyme that is called lactase. This enzyme is needed by the body to digest lactose. Lactose is a sugar found in milk products. Adults and children are affected by this intolerance. Digestive diseases or injuries to the small intestine cause this intolerance. Individuals can experience different symptoms but the common ones are: cramping, bloating, gas, diarrhea, and nausea. The symptoms will worsen when larger portions of milk products are consumed.

Stomach and Duodenal Ulcers

Ulcers are open sores or lesions. They are found in the skin or mucous membranes of areas of the body. A stomach ulcer is called a gastric ulcer and an ulcer in the duodenum is called a duodenal ulcer. Lifestyle, stress and diet used to be thought to cause ulcers. These factors may have a role in ulcer formation; however they are not the main cause of them. Scientists now know that ulcers are caused by hydrochloric acid and pepsin that are contained in our stomach and duodenal parts of our digestive system and that these acids contribute to ulcer formation.

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