Stomach cancer, also known as gastric cancer, is a serious disease that grows slowly over several years, when cells in the lining of the stomach become abnormal and begin to grow out of control. Gastric cancer ranks third globally in terms of cancer-related mortality and is the fifth most common type of cancer. Since early detection is so important for better treatment results, learning to recognize the warning signs and seeking medical care promptly is vital. In this blog, we will explore the stages of stomach cancer, including the number of stages, symptoms, and causes.
What is Stomach Cancer?
Stomach cancer is caused by an abnormal cell that develops in the stomach lining. Even though stomach cancer grows slowly, making early identification challenging, this also suggests that symptoms are more common. The severity of stomach cancer depends on the size of the cancer; if the cancer spreads, it may affect your overall health. The size of the stomach tumor is an important predictor of stomach cancer outcome; however, expansion of the tumor into regional and distant tissues and lymph nodes is known to adversely influence patients’ general health.
Causes of Stomach Cancer
The causes of stomach cancer grow in several ways, such as an infection from the Helicobacter pylori, lifestyle and diet, including alcohol, and obesity. Some medical problems also damage the stomach lining cells and lead to changes in the DNA to grow the cancer uncontrollably.
- Infections: An H. pylori infection is a common stomach infection caused by the Helicobacter pylori bacterium, which lives in the stomach lining, and its symptoms are gastric on the stomach and pain in the stomach.
- Lifestyle:
- If you consume heavy alcohol, there is a risk of stomach cancer.
- Over-smoking causes the risk of stomach cancer.
- Diet:
- If you take low fruits and vegetables.
- If you take high salt in food.
- If you eat processed food in everyday life.
- Obesity: Overweight
Stages of Stomach Cancer
The stomach is a five-layered wall of tissue and muscles, so first, we discuss the layers, which can help you understand the stages of your cancer.
- Mucosa is the innermost layer of the stomach wall. It is secreted by both glandular and epithelial cells, and is a viscous gel that shields the outer layer of the stomach lining and assists digestive juices in the degradation of the food.
- The tissue between the mucosa and the muscle layer is connected by the submucosa, which is the mucosa’s innermost layer, and it has blood arteries, nerve cells, and lymph vessels.
- The next layer of the submucosa is called the muscle layer, or muscularis externa. The food and digestive juices are combined by the muscular layer and transported into the small intestine, where the nutrients are absorbed.
- Subserosa is a thin layer of the stomach that connects the tissue between the muscle layer of the outside tissue and the inner layer of serosa. This layer contains lymphatics and blood vessels surrounding the structure.
- The serosa is the thin and outermost layer of the stomach wall that covers the external surface, which reduces the friction of stomach movement and lubricates it.
1. Stage 0
Gastric cancer stage zero is also known as carcinoma “in situ”. In situ is the Latin word that means in its original place. The early stage of cancer, known as stage zero, is characterised by aberrant cells on the mucosa that develop into malignant cells and spread to adjacent normal tissue. It is highly treatable at this stage of cancer.
2. Stage 1
Stomach cancer stage one is the early sign of cancer because the cancer cells are confined to the inner layer of the stomach, between the mucosa and submucosa. Stage one cancer is divided into two parts.
- Stage 1A: Stage 1A cancer goes deeper into the mucosa of the stomach wall, but has not reached the lymph nodes.
- Stage 1B: Stage 1B cancer goes deeper into the mucosa of the stomach wall, and it’s possible to spread only one to two nearby nodes, but it has not reached other parts of the body.
3. Stage 2
Stage two stomach cancer. At this point, the cancer may spread to the stomach wall’s muscle layer. Stage two cancer is subdivided into two categories.
- Stage 2A: The cancer might have grown into the submucosa, and three to six nearby lymph nodes are involved. The malignancy has spread to one or two neighbouring lymph nodes as well as the muscular layer. The subserosa has been affected by cancer.
- Stage 2B:
- The cancer could have extended to the submucosa and has metastasized to seven to fifteen regional lymph nodes.
- There is also a spread of cancer to the muscle and to three to six regional lymph nodes.
- The subserosa and one or two regional lymph nodes have been affected by the cancer.
- Cancer has metastasized to the serosa.
4. Stage 3
The third stage of stomach cancer is when the disease can spread to the stomach wall’s subserosa layer. There are three components to stage three cancer.
- Stage 3A :
- The muscle layer is invaded, and the number of involved lymph nodes is six to fourteen.
- It developed in the subserosa and in three to seven regional lymph nodes.
- The serosa and two to six regional lymph nodes have been affected.
- The cancer has grown into nearby organs (spleen, colon, liver, diaphragm, pancreas, abdominal wall, adrenal gland, kidney, or small bowel) or into the back of the abdomen.
- Stage 3B :
- The cancer may have grown into the submucosa or muscle and spread to fifteen or more regional lymph nodes.
- The cancer has risen to the subserosa or the serosa and has spread to between six and fifteen regional lymph nodes.
- The disease involves nearby organs, including the spleen, colon, liver, diaphragm, pancreas, abdominal wall, adrenal gland, kidney, small intestine, or the back of the abdomen. It has also spread to two to six regional lymph nodes.
- Stage 3C :
- The tumour has spread to at least seventeen regional lymph nodes after invading the serosa or subserosa.
- The spleen, colon, liver, diaphragm, pancreas, abdominal wall, adrenal gland, kidney, or small intestine, as well as the back of the abdomen, may have been affected by the malignancy. Additionally, eight or more neighbouring lymph nodes have been affected by the cancer.
5. Stage 4
Tumors have metastasized to several organs, including the lungs, liver, and lymph nodes.
Symptoms of Stomach Cancer
Early-stage stomach cancer has no symptoms. But after the symptoms of stomach tumor or cancer are problems with digestion, food, and pain in the upper part of the belly, in the stomach.
- Common Symptom:
- Suddenly, people vomit.
- Without any diet, sudden weight loss.
- Patients feel weakness.
- Other Symptoms:
- Change in skin colour and yellow eyes (Jaundice).
- Patients are vomiting blood.
- Swelling in the abnormal part of the body.
Conclusion
Stomach cancer is a severe but slow-growing disease, starting with an infection with H.pylori, lifestyle modifications, and genetic alterations. People need to be informed about the stages, symptoms, and causes of stomach cancer. People also need regular check-ups for a healthy lifestyle. Detecting any disease in the early phase helps you to choose the right treatment for your problem.