Does Gastritis Mimic Stomach Cancer?

Stomach cancer, also known as gastric cancer, can occur in any part of the stomach, but most cases occur in the gastroesophageal junction in the U.S. Although stomach cancer has been on the decline, it is difficult to diagnose due to common symptoms like nausea, heartburn, and fatigue. Stomach ulcers and stomach cancer can both cause abdominal pain and other gastrointestinal symptoms, but there are some differences.

To reduce your risk of stomach cancer, you can treat H. pylori infection if you test positive. This infection is an inflammation in your gut called gastritis, a type of long-lasting anemia called pernicious anemia, and growths in your stomach called polyps. Stomach cancer can appear as an ulcer, mass, or thickening of the stomach wall. To look for signs of cancer, your healthcare provider might use a tiny camera to see inside your stomach called upper endoscopy.

Many common signs of stomach cancer are often other gastrointestinal conditions, such as GERD, gastritis, or peptic ulcers. These conditions can be diagnosed by your doctor and managed with medication. Stomach cancer can present itself in several different ways, such as difficulty swallowing, feeling bloated after eating, or feeling full after only eating a small amount.

Gastrointestinal cancer and gastric adenomas and intestinal cancer arise by analogous mechanisms, but due to severe atrophic gastritis and a non-neoplastic epithelium covering the cancerous tissue, gastric cancer after successful H. pylori eradication tends to have gastritis-like features. In some cases, atrophic gastritis leads to increasingly severe changes in the stomach lining and eventually to stomach cancer or gastric MALT. In some cases, gastritis can lead to ulcers and an increased risk of stomach cancer. Autoimmune gastritis can also be associated with stomach cancer.

What does stage 1 stomach cancer feel like?

Stomach cancer can manifest in various ways, including difficulty swallowing, bloating, heartburn, indigestion, nausea, stomach pain, weight loss, and vomiting. If you experience any of these symptoms, consult your doctor or a specialist.

To diagnose stomach cancer, an upper endoscopy is performed, followed by a biopsy if suspicious. Imaging tests like CT scans or barium swallows are also used. The extent of the cancer is determined by the stage, which is determined by blood tests, endoscopic ultrasounds, CT scans, or PET scans. In some cases, laparoscopic surgery may be recommended.

Creating a treatment plan for stomach cancer involves collaboration between doctors from different specialties. There are five main treatment options: surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted drug therapy, and immunotherapy. Surgery removes all cancerous tissue and some healthy tissue around it, while chemotherapy destroys cancer cells in its path. Radiation therapy uses high-powered beams of energy to target cancer cells, targeted drug therapy targets specific weaknesses within cancer cells, and immunotherapy helps the immune system recognize and attack dangerous cells.

What is the biggest symptom of stomach cancer?

If you experience any of the following symptoms for more than two weeks, you should see a gastroenterologist:Unexplained weight loss. Severe abdominal pain. Nausea and vomiting. Loss of appetite. Vomiting blood. Tarry (dark, sticky) stool. Difficulty or painful swallowing.

Stomach cancer, or gastric cancer, originates in the stomach. Although its occurrence has declined significantly over the past two decades, stomach cancer is still among the most prevalent cancers worldwide. The most common type is adenocarcinoma, one that starts from the stomach’s inner lining. There are other types that start from middle or outer parts of the stomach, but they are relatively rare.

What causes gastric cancer?. Though the actual cause of stomach cancer is not yet known, there are some factors associated with it, particularly diet and lifestyle. For example, a diet high in smoked or salted foods and processed meat and low in vegetables is a risk factor for stomach cancer, as is drinking alcohol and smoking. Helicobacter pylori, a microorganism that infects the inner lining of stomach, also contributes to cancer development.

Some non-cancerous conditions in the stomach, such as sores or overgrowth of cells of the inner lining can precede cancer. Finally, some hereditary conditions can make people more likely to get stomach cancer.

What is the red flag for stomach cancer?

• Poor appetite
• Weight loss (without trying)
• Abdominal (belly) pain
• Vague discomfort in the abdomen, usually above the navel
• Feeling full after eating only a small meal
• Heartburn or indigestion
• Nausea
• Vomiting, with or without blood
• Swelling or fluid build-up in the abdomen
• Blood in the stool, which might make the stool look dark brown or black
• Feeling tired or weak, as a result of having too few red blood cells (anemia)
• Yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice), if the cancer spreads to the liver

Most of these symptoms are more likely to be caused by things other than stomach cancer, such as a viral infection or an ulcer. Some of these problems may also be caused by other types of cancer. But people who have any of these stomach cancer symptoms, especially if they don’t go away or get worse, should see a doctor so the cause can be found and treated, if needed.

Learn more about the exams and tests doctors use when people have stomach cancer symptoms.

Is stomach cancer hard or soft?

END IMAGETAG You may not be able to feel the tumor because the mass of stomach cancer develops slowly. However, an abdominal mass related to a stomach tumor is most often felt during a routine physical exam by the doctor. A hard lump in the abdomen during a routine physical examination accompanied by pain, unexplained weight loss, or an enlarged belly are usually considered symptoms of a stomach tumor. In the early stages of stomach cancer, the following symptoms may occur:

• Indigestion and stomach discomfort
• A bloated feeling after eating
• Mild nausea
• Loss of appetite
• Heartburn
• Bloody vomit

In more advanced stages of gastric cancer, the following signs and symptoms may occur:

• Blood in the stool
• Weight loss for no known reason
• Stomach pain
• Jaundice (yellowing of eyes and skin)
• Ascites (buildup of fluid in the abdomen)
• Trouble swallowing
• Tiredness

Can gastritis be confused with stomach cancer?

What can mimic the symptoms of stomach cancer? Even if you are experiencing symptoms, this does not always mean you have cancer. Many of the common signs of stomach cancer are often other gastrointestinal conditions, such as GERD, gastritis or peptic ulcers.

How do I make sure I don’t have stomach cancer?

Treat ulcers, gastritis and other stomach conditions promptly. Untreated stomach conditions, especially those caused by H. pylori bacteria, increase your risk of stomach cancer. Eat healthy. Eating a healthy diet that’s high in fruits and vegetables and low in salts and red meats can reduce your stomach cancer risk.

What are the signs and symptoms of stomach cancer?. Stomach cancer doesn’t typically cause symptoms during the early stages. Even the most common early signs of stomach cancer — often unexplained weight loss and stomach pain — don’t usually show up until the cancer is more advanced.

• Loss of appetite.
• Trouble swallowing.
• Fatigue or weakness.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Unexplained weight loss.
• Heartburn and indigestion.
• Black stool (poop) or vomiting blood.
• Feeling bloated or gassy after eating.
• Stomach pain, often above your belly button.
• Feeling full even after eating a small meal or snack.

Many of these symptoms are common in other conditions, too. See your provider to check if your symptoms are a sign of stomach cancer or another disease.

How to know if a stomach ulcer is cancerous?

Clues to the presence of stomach cancer include:Feeling full after a large meal, which is more likely if the cancer is blocking the region where the stomach empties into the intestines. Pain, which may suggest peptic ulcer. Loss of weight or strength due to not getting enough nutrients.

Overview. Stomach cancer in the United States is the seventh most common cause of death from cancer. About 95 percent of all stomach cancer is gastric adenocarcinoma. Other, less common forms are lymphomas and leiomyosarcomas.

• A pouch that juts out, like a polyp (A patient with this type of tumor has a better chance of survival than if the tumor is penetrating.)
• A sharp, well-defined border that may be ulcerated
• Spreading, which spreads across the surface of the lining of the stomach or into its walls
• Miscellaneous, which means the tumor shows characteristics of two of the other types (Most fall into this category)

Symptoms. In its early stage, stomach cancer has no specific symptoms. Both doctors and patients tend to dismiss any symptoms, often for months. Clues to the presence of stomach cancer include:

Can gastritis be mistaken for cancer?

What can mimic the symptoms of stomach cancer? Even if you are experiencing symptoms, this does not always mean you have cancer. Many of the common signs of stomach cancer are often other gastrointestinal conditions, such as GERD, gastritis or peptic ulcers.

Do people survive gastric cancer?

Stomach cancer survival rates often are expressed in terms of five-year relative survival, which is the percentage of people with the same type and stage of stomach cancer who are alive five years after their diagnosis, compared with people in the overall population. So, the five-year relative survival rate for stomach cancer is 36%, which means that overall, people diagnosed with stomach cancer are 36% as likely as similar people who do not have stomach cancer to be alive 5 years after diagnosis.

However, each person is different and response to treatment can vary widely. Clinicians and researchers at the University of Colorado Cancer Center, along with their colleagues around the world, are continually working toward new treatments, such as minimally invasive surgery and developing new anti-cancer drugs to help patients achieve better quality of life and better outcomes.

Why Come to CU Cancer Center for Stomach Cancer. The University of Colorado Cancer Center is the only National Cancer Institute (NCI) Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in Colorado and one of four in the Rocky Mountain region. Our doctors provide world-class, patient-centered care and have access to cutting-edge treatments not available at most other medical centers in the country.

The Katy O. and Paul M. Rady Esophageal and Gastric Center of Excellence started in Late 2022. This group is committed to providing the best possible care to all its patients, initiating new research, as well as investigating new clinical trials. The center works with the University of Colorado Cancer Center and across the institution, including UCHealth.

What are the odds of gastritis turning into cancer?

A Netherland study followed 92, 250 patients with precursor lesion for gastric cancer, finding an annual incidence of 0. 1 for patients with atrophic gastritis, 0. 25 for intestinal metaplasia, 0. 6 for mild-to-moderate dysplasia, and 6 for severe dysplasia within 5 years after diagnosis. Atrophic gastritis is considered a precursor condition for gastric cancer, but not all subjects with atrophic gastritis develop it. The main questions about atrophic gastritis are who will develop gastric cancer and when it progresses.

Song et al. reported a large-scale retrospective cohort of asymptomatic individuals who underwent screening endoscopy for healthcare purposes. Atrophic gastritis was diagnosed endoscopically in 36. 5 of subjects. Risk factors included age over 55 and Helicobacter pylori infection. Gastric neoplasms, including adenocarcinoma and dysplasia, developed in 69 of 2, 144 subjects with atrophic gastritis, compared to two of 3, 423 without atrophic change. The more extensive gastric atrophy, the more likely and rapidly gastric neoplasm developed.

During follow-up, the incidences of gastric neoplasm were 0. 1 in subjects without atrophic change, 1. 6 in mild atrophic gastritis, 5. 2 in moderate atrophic gastritis, and 12. 0 in severe atrophic gastritis. Alcohol consumption, presence of moderate to severe atrophic change, and presence of intestinal metaplasia were also associated with gastric cancer.

Can stomach cancer be mistaken for an ulcer?

Stomach cancer rarely causes symptoms in its early stages, making the disease difficult to detect. When symptoms do occur in the later stages, they can often be mistaken for other conditions, such as an ulcer or inflammation (gastritis).

Stomach Cancer Symptoms. Symptoms of stomach cancer include:

• Decreased appetite
• Increased feelings of fullness after eating a small amount
• Unexplained weight loss
• Uncontrolled acid reflux
• Dark-colored or bloody stool
• Abdominal pain or discomfort (typically above the navel)
• Decreased red blood cell count
• Nausea
• Vomit that sometimes includes blood