Essay on Stomach Cancer

Colon and rectal cancer develop in the digestive tract, which is also called the gastrointestinal, or GI, tract. The digestive system processes food for energy and rids the body of solid waste matter (fecal matter or stool). Colon cancer and rectal cancer have many features in common. Sometimes they are referred to together as colorectal cancer.

The stomach is an organ that is part of the digestive system. The stomach is located in the upper left part of the abdominal cavity, below the diaphragm and next to the liver (Stomach, 2013). The inner walls of the stomach contain small pores called gastric pits. The gastric pits contain cells that secrete chemicals that aid in the digestion of food (Nguyen, 2015). In this essay, I will discuss the different cell types of the stomach, how they work together to provide the overall function of the stomach, why each organ requires different cell types, why the stomach can’t be comprised of just one cell type, and the advantage of having different types of cells.

Helicobacter pylori, also known as H. pylori, is a spiral bacterium that lives inside the human stomach. H. pylori likes the acidic environment that the stomach provides and evidence has linked it to a variety of minor gastrointestinal illnesses. H. pylori causes inflammation in the lining of the stomach and is involved in 90% of stomach and intestinal ulcers. H. pylori also has an apparent cause to the development of adenocarcinoma, a common stomach cancer. J. Robin Warren first detected H. pylori in the stomachs of ulcer patients in 1979. Warren then isolated the microbe in a culture and tested it effects by swallowing some of the inoculum. A short-term case of gastritis (inflammation of the lining of the

Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors, otherwise known as Gist, is an orphan cancer. This is a rare cancer that starts in the connective tissue (fat, muscle, blood vessels, deep skin tissues, nerves, bones or cartilage). The most likely location for GISTs are the stomach (55% chance), duodenum and small intestine (30% chance), esophagus (5% chance), rectum (5% chance) and colon (2% chance). This cancer is so new and uncommon, they can not even tell an average American diagnosis per year yet. The first of any type of research for this disease was in the 1990s. Since there is not a ton of research done on this yet doctors tend to miss diagnose people causing big problems. Some common symptoms of Gist include throwing up blood, change

According to Professor John Neoptolemos, "There are approximately 7,000 new cases each year - but it is one of the most lethal cancers." The main reason for the low survival rate from pancreatic cancer is due to its difficulty in finding this cancer early. By the time a person has symptoms, the cancer has often reached a large size and spread to other organs. Because the pancreas is deep inside the body, the doctor cannot see or feel tumors during a routine physical exam. There are currently no blood tests or other tests that can easily find this cancer early in people without symptoms. Tests for certain genes in people with a family history of the disease can help tell if they are at higher risk for cancer. There are some new tests for finding pancreatic cancer early in people with a strong family history of the disease, but these tests are complicated and expensive. Some symptoms of pancreatic cancer include jaundice, a yellow color of the eyes and skin caused by a substance buildup in the liver, pain in the belly area or in the middle of the back, significant weight loss over a number of months, loss of appetite, digestive problems including nausea, vomiting, pain that tends to be worse after eating, a swollen gallbladder that is enlarged, blood clots that form in the veins or cause problems with fatty tissue under the skin, and diabetes. If the doctor has any reason to suspect pancreatic cancer, certain tests will be done to see if the disease is really

Firstly, in hopes of understanding what esophageal cancer is, one must first understand what the esophagus is. The esophagus is a muscular tube connecting your throat to your stomach. It’s primary purpose it to transport food to the stomach and is usually between 10 – 13 inches long. Furthermore, the esophagus is lined with smooth muscle tissue, which causes contracts without conscious thought, moving the food along to the

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in men in the United States and the fifth leading cause of cancer death in women. It is very rare before the age of 45 years, and the majority of patients present in or beyond the sixth decade of life (Feldman et al.2010). Carcinoma arises anywhere in the pancreas. The most common frequent focus is in the head (60%), followed by the body (10%), and the tail (5%). Carcinomas of the head of the pancreas may cause biliary obstruction and jaundice by compressing the ampulla of Vater and common bile duct. They thus tend to be smaller at diagnosis than those of the body and tail and show more limited spread to regional lymph nodes and distant sites. On gross examination, pancreas carcinoma

In order to determine which stage of cancer you have there are a few different tests given. A CT scan and an MRI let the doctors see your internal organs, including your pancreas. An endoscopic ultrasound uses an ultrasound device take pictures of your pancreas from inside your abdomen. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography also known as an ERCP uses a dye to highlight the bile ducts of your pancreas. An XRAY is taken of the ducts and cell samples are collected, otherwise known as a biopsy.

Approximately 20% of pancreatic cancer is found to be operable or resectable. The complete resection of the primary lesion is best treatment for patients with localized pancreatic cancer. However the risk of both local and distal recurrence is high in following resection. In early stage pancreatic cancer the complete resection are associated with considerable morbidity in 40–60% of patients and mortality in less than 3% of patients (Sohn et al., 2000; Winter et al., 2006). Moreover, it takes 2–3 months for complete recovery to a normal quality of life. Although the 5-year survival rate of resected pancreatic cancer is approximately 20% and the median overall survival time is 17–27 months (Winter et al., 2006).

As we age, there are other medical factors that can increase our chances in causing cancer mutations in the body. Age is a very important risk factor for pancreatic cancer. Especially for someone over the age of sixty, it is very common to be found in patients of that age. Diet and habits also pay a factor in increasing the chance of pancreatic cancer. Facts of pancreatic cancer states that pancreatic cancers are more likely to exist in men that women, and more in African Americans than whites. Smoking, obesity, and alcohol consumption is also consider big risk factors for pancreatic cancer.

Courage, Leadership, and Moral Values: The Impact of Individuals on the Civil Rights Movement The Civil Rights Movement in the US, marked by courageous individuals, influenced future generations to fight for rights, confront injustice, and promote social justice. This research analyzes the significant influence of individuals' actions during the Civil Rights Movement on society, their historical impact, and their lasting legacy and transformative power. As Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, "Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the assessment that something else is more important than fear" (Roosevelt). The quote emphasizes the importance of prioritizing values over fear, showing that fortitude is not about being fearless but recognizing values and taking

Colonoscopies are the most common way to detect colon cancer. Therefor doctors recommend regular screening tests every 10 years, but people with higher risk, such as a family history with the disease or old age may need to go in more frequently. Normally people should begin screenings at age 50 but people with an increased risk or signs of symptoms, should talk to their doctor about the best plan. Consequently, most people don’t think they need to go in because they don’t show any symptoms, it's money for something they probably don’t even have, or they think since no one else in their family has had it, their safe, but they're actually excuses for something that could help save you from the grueling pains of colon cancer. For those of you, I urge you to be vigilant about possibilities. No matter what your age. It can be fought before it even begins!

People with certain risk factors may be more likely than others to develop cancer of the pancreas. Some risk factors that may increase the chance of getting cancer of the pancreas include smoking tobacco, the most important risk factor for pancreatic cancer. People with diabetes, family history with pancreatic cancer increases the risk of developing the disease, inflammation of the pancreas and having pancreatitis for a long time. Overweight or obese people may likely than other people to develop pancreatic cancer. Possible risk factors being studied include, diet high in animal fat and heavy drinking of alcoholic beverages. “Another area of active research is whether certain genes increase the risk of disease. Many people who get pancreatic cancer have none of these risk factors, and many people who have known risk factors don’t develop the disease”.(pg. 7).

* CT or MRI scans – these sophisticated scans involve lying still inside a machine as it takes images of the internal organs. The pictures that result can give a very good idea of whether cancer might be present but aren 't absolutely definite as cell samples are needed to make a full diagnosis. Scans are often done in order to guide a biopsy to suspicious areas.

For one, gastric cancer affects many people. In 2011, an estimated 74,035 people in the US had been inflicted with gastric cancer ("SEER Stat Fact," 2013). Additionally, this year, an estimated 22,220 additional people will receive the diagnosis of the stomach cancer ("Stomach (Gastric Cancer)," 2014). Though these numbers may not seem to indicate much of a problem in the United States when compared to prostate cancer's 233,000 estimated new cases and breast cancer's 232,670 estimated new cases, gastric cancer has a significant impact worldwide, being the cancer with the second highest mortality rate ("New Targeted Drug," 2014; "SEER Stat Fact," 2013).