In the fast-paced modern life, people's eating habits are becoming more and more diverse, but at the same time, they also bring many health problems. Among them, gastric cancer, as a common malignant tumor, has a high incidence and mortality rate. To this end, Liu Xiaochuan, chief physician of the Department of Gastroenterology of the Emergency General Hospital, took us to understand the incidence, symptoms, treatment, screening and prevention of gastric cancer, and jointly protect our gastric health.
Incidence and current situation of gastric cancer: the alarm bell is ringing for a long time and cannot be ignored
In recent years, the incidence of gastric cancer in mainland China has shown a continuous upward trend. According to statistics, gastric cancer ranked among the top five new cancer cases in China in 2022, with a high number of new cases and deaths. This grim situation reminds us that the prevention and treatment of gastric cancer cannot be delayed.
The incidence of gastric cancer is closely related to a variety of factors, including poor dietary habits, Helicobacter pylori infection, genetic factors, etc. Long-term intake of foods high in salt, pickled, barbecued, etc., as well as bad habits such as tobacco and alcohol, will increase the risk of stomach cancer. Therefore, we must always be vigilant, pay attention to our eating habits and lifestyle, correct bad behaviors in time, and reduce the possibility of stomach cancer.
Symptoms of gastric cancer: early detection and seizing the opportunity of treatment
The symptoms of stomach cancer are varied, and the early symptoms are often not obvious and are easy to ignore. However, as the condition worsens, patients may experience symptoms such as epigastric pain, indigestion, weight loss and emaciation, hematemesis, and melena. In addition, signs such as diffuse abdominal pain, lower back pain, and swollen lymph nodes may occur.
Therefore, once the above symptoms appear, you should seek medical attention in time for relevant examinations. Through gastroscopy, histopathological examination and other means, it is possible to make a clear diagnosis of gastric cancer. Early detection of gastric cancer is of great significance to improve the cure rate and reduce the mortality rate.
Gastric cancer treatment: scientific treatment to improve the quality of life
The treatment of gastric cancer mainly includes surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and immunotherapy. Surgical treatment is the main means of gastric cancer treatment, including radical distal gastrectomy, radical total gastrectomy, etc. For early-stage gastric cancer, endoscopic treatment is also an effective option.
Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are mainly used as postoperative adjuvant therapy to kill residual cancer cells and prevent recurrence and metastasis. Immunotherapy is an emerging treatment method in recent years, which aims to fight tumors by activating the patient's own immune system.
During the treatment process, the doctor will develop a personalized treatment plan according to the specific situation of the patient, in order to achieve the best treatment effect. At the same time, patients should also actively cooperate with the treatment, maintain an optimistic attitude, and improve their quality of life.
How to screen for stomach cancer: accurate detection to buy time for treatment
Screening and diagnosis of gastric cancer is an important part of prevention and treatment. Common screening methods include routine blood examination, gastroscopy, gastric function tests, tumor marker tests, etc. Among them, gastroscopy is the "gold standard" for the diagnosis of gastric cancer, which can directly observe gastric mucosal lesions and obtain tissue samples for pathological biopsy.
During screening, once a suspicious lesion is found, further testing should be performed as soon as possible to confirm the diagnosis. For patients diagnosed with gastric cancer, it is necessary to choose the appropriate treatment method according to the condition and formulate a personalized treatment plan.
In addition, we should also pay attention to high-risk groups of gastric cancer, such as people over 40 years old with varying degrees of gastrointestinal symptoms or people with a family history of gastric cancer, and conduct regular gastric cancer screening so that gastric cancer can be detected and treated in time.
How to prevent stomach cancer: live a healthy life and stay away from the threat of stomach cancer
The key to preventing stomach cancer is to change bad lifestyle and eating habits. First of all, it is necessary to correct bad eating habits, avoid excessive intake of foods high in salt, pickled, barbecued, etc., and eat more fresh vegetables and fruits to maintain a balanced nutrition. Secondly, it is necessary to quit smoking and limit alcohol to avoid the irritation and damage of tobacco and alcohol to the gastric mucosa. In addition, it is important to maintain a good spirit and avoid long-term mental depression and mood swings.
In addition to the adjustment of personal lifestyle habits, we should also pay attention to the problem of Helicobacter pylori infection. Helicobacter pylori is a bacterium closely related to gastric cancer, which infects the human body through oral transmission, fecal-oral transmission, and other routes. Therefore, we should pay attention to personal hygiene, have regular H. pylori tests, and treat infections in a timely manner.
Finally, we should actively participate in activities such as the National Cancer Prevention and Treatment Awareness Week to raise public awareness and attention to gastric cancer. Through popular science and health education, popularize the knowledge of gastric cancer prevention and control, and improve the public's awareness and ability to prevent cancer.
In short, the prevention and treatment of gastric cancer requires us to start from many aspects, not only to pay attention to the adjustment and change of personal living habits, but also to pay attention to the screening and diagnosis of gastric cancer, and to actively participate in cancer prevention publicity and education activities. Let's work together with a scientific attitude, firm belief and positive action to protect stomach health and stay away from the threat of stomach cancer.
Expert recommendation
Liu Xiaochuan, Director of the Department of Gastroenterology, Chief Physician, MD, Emergency General Hospital.
Technical expertise: Engaged in clinical medical work for more than 20 years, he has rich experience in the diagnosis and treatment of digestive diseases, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease, gastroduodenal ulcer disease, acute and chronic gastritis (atrophic gastritis), inflammatory bowel disease, chronic constipation, liver cirrhosis, fatty liver, gastrointestinal bleeding, Helicobacter pylori infection, etc. In particular, he has deep knowledge in the diagnosis and treatment of biliary tract diseases such as obstruction caused by stones or tumors, acute biliary pancreatitis, and early cancer and precancerous lesions of the esophagus, stomach and large intestine. He also has rich clinical experience in the diagnosis and treatment of critical and difficult diseases of the digestive system, such as severe pancreatitis, gastrointestinal hemorrhage shock, unexplained gastrointestinal bleeding, jaundice, ascites, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and weight loss. He has excellent skills in gastrointestinal endoscopy and endoscopic treatment, more than 10,000 cases of gastrointestinal endoscopic operation, endoscopic ultrasound and endoscopic ERCP techniques related to biliary and pancreatic diseases (such as endoscopic bile duct stone removal, bile duct stent placement to relieve biliary obstruction, etc.), proficient in endoscopic treatment of gastrointestinal polyps, adenomas, and early cancer, endoscopic hemostasis for gastrointestinal hemorrhage, endoscopic dilation and stent placement and removal for gastrointestinal stricture, endoscopic percutaneous gastrostomy/jejunostomy, endoscopic lithotripsy for gastroliths, endoscopic esophageal retrieval, gastrointestinal foreign bodies, etc.
Academic part-time positions: member of the Gastroenterology Branch of the China Association for the Promotion of International Exchange in Health Care, standing committee member of the Interventional Diagnosis and Treatment Translational Medicine Branch of the Beijing Society of Integrative Medicine, member of the Digestive Branch of the Beijing Medical Association, member of the Digestive Endoscopy Branch of the Beijing Medical Association, member of the Digestive Endoscopy Branch of the Beijing Medical Doctor Association, member of the Digestive Endoscopy Branch of the Beijing Medical Doctor Association, and member of the Endoscopic Sonographer Branch of the Beijing Medical Doctor Association.
Academic scientific research: undertook 9 scientific research projects at the institute level and participated in provincial and municipal scientific research projects, won the second prize of ministerial science and technology, and published more than 20 SCI papers and core journal papers as the first author and corresponding author. Editor-in-chief and co-editor of 3 monographs.
Visiting hours: Tuesday and Thursday mornings
Source: Emergency General Hospital
Correspondent: Mo Peng
Editor: Zhou Yun
Reviewer: Chen Shirui
Issued: Daley Red