Gastric cancer is the most frequent neoplasm of this organ. At the heart of the disease is a malignant tumor that forms in the epithelial cells of the mucous membrane. The center can appear in any part of the stomach: in the upper, in the place of connection with the esophagus, in the middle or in the lower one, when passing into the intestine. The disease is common among people over 50 years of age, most of whom are men. Young people and children are the category of the population that is less often diagnosed as having stomach cancer. The development of the disease also depends on the place of residence. According to statistics, the tumor affects the urban residents.
The pathogenesis of stomach cancer
It is not known about what happens in the body at various stages of the development of the disease. The reason is that the tumor itself is found only in the final stages, and all the processes that occur earlier are other diseases. Among them are chronic achilles gastritis, polyposis and stomach ulcers, pernicious anemia. In 50-60% of cases, malignant tumors develop against a background of atrophic chronic gastritis. No less dangerous, but more rare soil for cancer is Menetriae disease - precedes the pathogenesis of the tumor in 10% of cases.
It is possible to track how stomach cancer develops, based on numerous medical history of various people. The fact that ulcers have a malignant quality, has been familiar to physicians since ancient times. Against the backdrop of a chronic disease, which until certain times remains benign, a focus of malignancy can occur. This is the focus of the tumor, which is caused by the malignancy of one of the edges of the ulcer. Obtain the most accurate information about this by performing a histological examination of the resected stomach. Such a survey provides an opportunity to understand how long gastric cancer develops in the body and what can be done at a given time. Endoscopic gastrobiopsy, which was popular among doctors, alas, rarely shows accurate results about the condition of the ulcer. If at the correct examination the fact of the presence of the outbreak was confirmed, a diagnosis is made: the primary ulcer form of cancer.
In medicine, there are 4 stages of stomach cancer:
- Initial - the tumor is small, has clearly defined boundaries. It is located in the submucous base of the stomach or in the thickness of the mucous membrane. Characterized by the lack of metastases.
- The second - a malignant tumor penetrates into the muscular area of the stomach, but this organ remains mobile. In lymph nodes, which are closest to the neoplasm, single metastases may appear, which divide into local lymph nodes.
- The third stage - the tumor extends beyond the walls of the stomach, can grow into neighboring organs, while severely limiting the mobility of the organ itself. Numerous metastases to the regional lymph nodes come from it.
- Fourth stage - the tumor reaches any size and connects to any neighboring organs. Characteristic of distant metastases.
Histology of the disease
There are following forms of stomach cancer:
- Tubular adenocarcinoma. It consists of tubular structures that are in the fibrous stroma. The glands of these structures contain mucus, which promotes cystic enlargement of the tumor.
- Papillary adenocarcinoma. Characterized by the formation of narrow or wide "villi", which have a finger shape. They are formed from epithelial outgrowths on a fibrous basis. Tumor cells have a pronounced surface polar orientation.
- Mucosal or mucinous adenocarcinoma. In the intercellular space of the tumor contains a significant amount of mucin( more than 50%).Cancer cells themselves can be in chaotic order or in a chain, surrounded by mucus.
- Ring-like cell carcinoma. In this case, mucin is contained in the cytoplasm of cancer cells. This element moves the core to the periphery and squeezes it, as a result of which the cell acquires the form of a finger. Such cells are prone to diffuse infiltration, because they can "dig into" adjacent tissues that are not yet affected by the tumor.
Now consider the degrees of differentiation into which the stomach cancer is divided. The histology of the disease is of the following types:
- A well- or highly differentiated form is characterized by regular glandular structures. They are like absolutely healthy stomach glands, which are formed by epithelial tissue.
- Malo- or low-grade adenocarcinoma is a single cell or a cluster of them. Such formations are difficult to detect. This is exactly the case when it is not known how long gastric cancer develops in the body and at what stage it is.
- The median-differentiated adenocarcinoma is an intermediate position between the previous two forms.
How much does stomach cancer develop?
For five, ten, and sometimes even twenty years in the human body can develop cancer cells. With surface diagnostics they are not visible, and any deviation in the state of health is written off for gastritis, ulcers, gastrointestinal disorders, and other common diseases. Clearly malignant cells manifest themselves in the last stages, when it is almost impossible to save life. In such cases, most often ends in a fatal outcome.
How fast does gastric cancer develop in the last stage?- About half a year, it happens a little more. In such cases, therapy is applied, which can prolong life for a few months. If it is possible to identify malignant formations at the initial stages, then with the help of prevention the disease will be eliminated, and life will last much longer.
Recovery and further life expectancy after the prevention of gastric cancer depends on two aspects:
- The depth of penetration of malignant cells into the walls of the stomach.
- The presence and magnitude of metastases that have gone to the lymph nodes and neighboring organs.
This can be determined by morphological diagnosis, during which the current stage of cancer is detected( see above).Separately, we note that in patients with highly differentiated forms of adenocarcinoma, the chances of recovery are higher than in people with low-differentiated forms. The development of metastases also reduces the likelihood of recovery, since they most often reach the lungs, kidneys, and liver, thereby infecting the entire body.