Gastric Cancer Flashcards
How common in gastric cancer, compared to other cancers, in the UK?
6th most common cancer in the UK
What % of all cancers in the UK does gastric cancer account for?
5%
How common is gastric cancer, compared to other cancers, in the UK?
2nd most common cancer worldwide
What is the male:female ratio of gastric cancer?
1.8 : 1
What % of cases of gastric cancer are diagnosed in people aged 55 or older?
95%
What is the average age of presentation of gastric cancer?
65
What is happening to the incidence of gastric cancer in the developed world?
It is falling
What may the fall in rates of gastric cancer in the developed world be due to?
Better food preservation
What are the risk factors for gastric cancer?
- Blood group A
- Geographic variation
- Dietary factors
- H. Pylori infection and atrophic gastritis
- Vagotomy and partial gastrectomy
- Family history
- Obesity
- Radiation
- Lower socioeconomic class
What countries have high rates of gastric cancer?
- China
- Japan
What is the main contributing factor to the geographic variation of gastric cancer?
Diet
What dietary factors increase the risk of gastric cancer?
- Nitrosamines
- Diet high in salty foods
How can chronic atrophic gastritis contribute to the development of gastric cancer?
Leads to decrease in acid secretion with resulting bacterial overgrowth and an increase in nitrates
What conveys the familial risk in gastric cancer?
Mutation of the cadherin-1 gene (CDH1)
What might contribute to a late diagnosis of gastric cancer?
Routine use of PPIs without investigation with endoscopy
At what time after surgery does vagotomy and partial gastrectomy increase the risk of gastric cancer?
20 years
What are the types of gastric cancer?
- Adenocarcinoma
- Squamous cell carcinoma
- Lymphoma
- Gastrointestinal stromal tumours
- Neuroendocrine tumours
What % of gastric cancers are adenocarcinomas?
More than 95%
What can gastric adenocarcinomas be further classified into?
- Intestinal
- Diffuse
What type of gastric adenocarcinoma has a better prognosis?
Intestinal
What kind of patient is intestinal adenocarcinoma associated with?
Older patients
Where is intestinal adenocarcinoma more commonly found?
Distal stomach
What type of gastric adenocarcinoma is more common?
fusse
What % of gastric cancers are squamous cell carcinomas?
4%
What are the symptoms of early stage gastric cancer?
May be asymptomatic, or have vague and non-specific symptoms, e.g. dyspepsia, tiredness, or anorexia
How will most patients with gastric cancer present?
- Vague epigastric discomfort, which is worse with meal
- Weight loss
- Early satiety
- Anorexia
- Dysphagia
- Vomiting 🤮
What are the features of advanced gastric cancer?
- Ascites
- Jaundice
- Melaena
- Hepaomegaly
- Lymph node involvement
What % of patients with gastric cancer have liver metastases?
25%
How might lymph node involvement present in gastric cancer?
- Virchow’s note in left SCF
- Palpable epigastric mass
What is a rare complication of gastric cancer?
Transcoelomic spread to the ovaries (Krukenberg tumour)
When is referral to a specialist for urgent endoscopy and review required in suspected gastric cancer?
Patients >55 years presenting with dyspepsia alone
Patients <55 years presenting with dysphagia, vomiting, anorexia, weight loss, or symptoms associated with GI bleeding, e.g. breathlessness, tiredness
What investigations may be done in suspected gastric cancer?
- FBC and LFTs
- Endoscopy with biopsy
- Barium studies
- Imaging