Stomach cancer develops when the abnormal cells grow out of control in any of the three linings of the stomach. There are various types of cancer that can develop in the stomach. Cancer generally starts in the inner layer and spreads into the outer layers. It can spread to nearby organs or to distant parts of the body.
The treatment options of this cancer depends on the extent to which cancer has spread and on the overall health of the person. Surgical procedure to take out the part or whole of the stomach is the commonest therapy. Otherwise chemotherapy or radiation therapy can also kill the cancer cells.
In this blog we will discuss
· Ways to reduce stomach cancer risk
· Conclusion
Ways to reduce stomach cancer risk
There is no sure way to prevent the stomach cancer, but certain things can help to reduce its risk:
- Diet, physical activity and body weight: Individuals with obesity or overweight are at high risk of developing certain types of stomach cancer. Therefore, weight loss and maintaining healthy body weight might reduce the risk of this cancer.
Healthy body weight can be maintained by doing regular exercise and staying physically active, which will eventually reduce the risk of stomach cancer.
Consuming a diet having plenty of fruits and vegetables can reduce the chances of developing stomach cancer. Citrus fruits like grapefruit, oranges and lemons might help.
One should consume a variety of colorful vegetables and fruits and whole grains, and avoid sugar, red and processed meats.
Drinking alcohol increases the risk of stomach cancer; therefore, limiting alcohol consumption may help to lower the risk.
According to studies combinations of antioxidant supplements may decrease the risk of stomach cancer in individuals with poor nutrition.
- Avoiding tobacco use: Tobacco use can elevate the cancer risk of the part of the stomach closest to the esophagus. Tobacco use elevates the risk of several other types of cancer.
Quitting tobacco use can help to prevent the development of various types of cancer.
- Treating H pylori infection: A person with chronic infection with the H pylori bacteria who do not have any symptoms should have treatment with antibiotics. As per the recent studies antibiotics treatment to people with H pylori infection may reduce several pre-cancerous lesions in the stomach and it can lower the risk of stomach cancer.
- Aspirin use: The administration of aspirin or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like naproxen or ibuprofen are believed to reduce the risk of this cancer. These medications can also reduce the risk of colon polyps and colon cancer development. However, they can cause severe internal bleeding and some health issues in certain people.
For people at seriously augmented risk: Only a little percentage of these cancers is recognized to be caused due to hereditary diffuse gastric cancer syndrome. However, it is crucial to identify it, as most people who inherit this disease ultimately develop stomach cancer. Lynch syndrome is another hereditary cancer syndrome which is associated with an augmented risk for stomach cancer.
Conclusion
The stomach cancer risk is thought to be reduced with the above mentioned ways. These ways will not only reduce the risk of stomach cancer but some of them will also prevent the risk of other health issues and help you to stay healthy and fit.