Xiao Zhang is a programmer who is usually busy with work, often working overtime until late at night. One day, he suddenly felt a little sick in his stomach, thinking that he had eaten something bad, so he didn't care.
But gradually, this "minor illness" recurred, but Xiao Zhang always dragged it on the pretext of "I'll talk about it after I'm busy for a while".
Until one day, Xiao Zhang suddenly fainted while working overtime and was sent to the hospital. The doctor examined him and told him that he had stomach cancer and that it was at an advanced stage. Xiao Zhang was shocked, and he regretted that he didn't pay attention to those "minor illnesses" earlier.
Friends, cancer doesn't come suddenly. Don't be careless when you have minor ailments such as recurrent stomach pain and persistent coughing. Xiao Zhang's story is a lesson from the past, we have to take it as a warning!
Next, I will tell you in detail which "minor diseases" may be signs of cancer, so stay tuned!
01
The relationship between gastric ulcers and gastric cancer
Although stomach ulcers themselves are benign lesions, long-term recurrent ulcers have the potential to become cancerous. Studies have shown that about 5% of patients with gastric ulcers will develop gastric cancer, especially those with large ulcers, long disease duration, and older age who are at higher risk. Therefore, patients with gastric ulcers should pay special attention to the following:
Monitor for changes: If you have symptoms such as abdominal mass, hematemesis, melena, ineffective use of medications, and changes in the pattern and nature of pain, you should seek medical attention immediately.
Regular gastroscopy: Gastroscopy can directly observe the situation inside the stomach, detect changes in ulcers and take timely measures.
Active treatment of underlying diseases: such as Helicobacter pylori infection, autoimmune diseases, etc., should be actively treated to prevent these diseases from inducing ulcer recurrence and malignant transformation.
Measures for the prevention and treatment of stomach ulcers
The key to preventing stomach ulcers is to maintain a healthy lifestyle and diet, as well as aggressively treating the cause of the ulcer. Here are some specific suggestions:
Maintain a regular diet: eat three meals a day at regular intervals and avoid overeating. Try to choose foods that are easy to digest, eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, and eat less spicy, greasy and irritating foods.
Quit smoking and drinking: Smoking and alcohol can cause damage to the stomach mucosa, and these bad habits should be avoided as much as possible.
Avoid long-term use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: long-term use of these drugs should be done under the guidance of a doctor in combination with gastric mucosal protective drugs.
Manage stress: Relieve stress through proper exercise, meditation, and rest, keep your mood happy, and avoid being in a state of tension for a long time.
Prompt treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection: If H. pylori infection is suspected, you should seek medical attention in time for relevant examinations and treatments to eradicate the source of infection.
These 6 "minor diseases" should also be dealt with in a timely manner, and beware of cancer
Some diseases may not be obvious in the early stages, but if left unattended and treated, the condition may gradually deteriorate, increasing the risk of cancer. Here are six minor ailments that need special attention:
Blood in the stool
Blood in the stool is a relatively common symptom that many people will blame on hemorrhoids. However, blood in the stool can also be an early sign of bowel cancer.
The symptoms of hematochezia in patients with bowel cancer are usually bright red or dark red blood mixed in the stool, while hemorrhoids bleed mostly bright red and drip blood after the stool. Especially when accompanied by symptoms such as changes in bowel habits and thinning of the stool, it is necessary to be alert to the possibility of bowel cancer.
Oral scabbards
Mouth sores usually heal on their own within 7 to 10 days, but if they recur and do not heal for a long time, you need to be vigilant. Recurrent, poorly edged mouth sores can be an early sign of oral cancer.
Liver sclerosis
The transition from hepatitis and cirrhosis to liver cancer is known as the "liver cancer trilogy". Patients with liver cirrhosis have a greatly increased risk of liver cancer due to the long-term stimulation of liver cells being damaged and repaired, and the liver structure is destroyed. Many patients with liver disease have no obvious symptoms in the early stage and are easy to ignore, leading to exacerbations.
Ulcerative colitis
Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the intestines, and patients often present with abdominal pain, diarrhea, blood in the stool, and other symptoms. Long-term recurrent inflammation can cause ongoing damage to the intestinal mucosa and increase the risk of cancer.
Long-term cough, hemoptysis
Long-term irritating dry cough and hemoptysis are common early symptoms of lung cancer. Cough usually lasts more than three weeks, is ineffective with conventional cough suppressants, and should be taken seriously when accompanied by symptoms such as hemoptysis, chest pain, and dyspnea.
Chronic pancreatitis
Chronic pancreatitis is a long-term chronic inflammation of the pancreas, and patients experience recurrent, severe abdominal pain. If left untreated, long-term inflammatory stimulation can increase the risk of pancreatic cancer.