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The use of chemotherapy to treat stomach cancer has no firmly established standard of care. Unfortunately, stomach cancer has not been particularly sensitive to these drugs, and chemotherapy, if used, has usually served to palliatively reduce the size of the tumor, relieve symptoms of the disease and increase survival time. Some drugs used in stomach cancer treatment have included: 5-FU (fluorouracil) or its analog capecitabine, BCNU (carmustine), methyl-CCNU (semustine) and doxorubicin (Adriamycin), as well as mitomycin C, and more recently cisplatin and taxotere, often using drugs in various combinations. The relative benefits of these different drugs, alone and in combination, are unclear. Clinical researchers are exploring the benefits of giving chemotherapy before surgery to shrink the tumor, or as adjuvant therapy after surgery to destroy remaining cancer cells.
Surgery remains the only curative therapy for stomach cancer. Of the different surgical techniques, endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) is a treatment for early gastric cancer (tumor only involves the mucosa) that was pioneered in Japan and is available in the United States at some centers. In this procedure, the tumor, together with the inner lining of stomach (mucosa), is removed from the wall of the stomach using an electrical wire loop through the endoscope. The advantage is that it is a much smaller operation than removing the stomach. Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is a similar technique pioneered in Japan, used to resect a large area of mucosa in one piece. If the pathologic examination of the resected specimen shows incomplete resection or deep invasion by tumor, the patient would need a formal stomach resection. A 2016 Cochrane review found low quality evidence of no difference in short-term mortality between laparoscopic and open gastrectomy (removal of stomach), and that benefits or harms of laparoscopic gastrectomy cannot be ruled out.
Those with metastatic disease at the time of presentation may receive palliative surgery and while it remains controversial, due to the possibility of complications from the surgery itself and the fact that it may delay chemotherapy the data so far is mostly positive, with improved survival rates being seen in those treated with this approach.
Chemotherapy has relatively poor curative efficacy in SRCC patients and overall survival rates are lower compared to patients with more typical cancer pathology. SRCC cancers are usually diagnosed during the late stages of the disease, so the tumors generally spread more aggressively than non-signet cancers, making treatment challenging. In the future, case studies indicate that bone marrow metastases will likely play a larger role in the diagnosis and management of signet ring cell gastric cancer.
In SRCC of the stomach, removal of the stomach cancer is the treatment of choice. There is no combination of chemotherapy which is clearly superior to others, but most active regimens include 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU), Cisplatin, and/or Etoposide. Some newer agents, including Taxol and Gemcitabine (Gemzar) are under investigation.
In a single case study of a patient with SRCC of the bladder with recurrent metastases, the patient exhibited a treatment response to palliative FOLFOX-6 chemotherapy.
Since Krukenberg tumors are secondary (metastatic), management might logically be driven by identifying and treating the primary cancer. The optimal treatment of Krukenberg tumors is unclear. The role of surgical resection has not been adequately addressed but if metastasis is limited to the ovaries, surgery may improve survival. The role of chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy is uncertain but may sometimes be beneficial.
Proton pump inhibitors (such as omeprazole and lansoprazole) and histamine H2-receptor antagonists (such as famotidine and ranitidine) are used to slow acid secretion. Once gastric acid is suppressed, symptoms normally improve.
Cetuximab is the first-line therapy for Ménétrier disease. Cetuximab is a monoclonal antibody against epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and has been shown to be effective in treating Ménétrier disease.
Several medications have been used in the treatment of the condition, with variable efficacy. Such medications include: anticholinergic agents, prostaglandins, proton pump inhibitors, prednisone, and H2 receptor antagonists. Anticholinergics decrease protein loss. A high-protein diet should be recommended to replace protein loss in patients with low levels of albumin in the blood (hypoalbuminemia). Any ulcers discovered during the evaluation should be treated in standard fashion.
Severe disease with persistent and substantial protein loss despite cetuximab may require total removal of the stomach. Subtotal gastrectomy is performed by some; it may be associated with higher morbidity and mortality secondary to the difficulty in obtaining a patent and long-lasting anastomosis between normal and hyperplastic tissue. In adults, there is no FDA approved treatment other than gastrectomy and a high-protein diet. Cetuximab is approved for compassionate use in the treatment of the disease.
Pediatric cases are normally treated for symptoms with the disease clearing up in weeks to months.
Diffuse large B-cell lymphomas of the stomach are primarily treated with chemotherapy with CHOP (cyclophosphamide+doxorubicine+vincristine+prednisone) with or without rituximab being a usual first choice.
Antibiotic treatment to eradicate H. pylori is indicated as first line therapy for MALT lymphomas. About 60% of MALT lymphomas completely regress with eradication therapy. Radiation treatment for H. pylori negative gastric malt lymphoma, has a high success rate, 90% or better after 5 years. Second line therapy for MALT lymphomas is usually chemotherapy with a single agent, and complete response rates of greater than 70% have been reported.
Subtotal gastrectomy, with post-operative chemotherapy is undertaken in refractory cases, or in the setting of complications, including gastric outlet obstruction.
treatment to be directed towards the findings in investigation if it is found to be AMAG immunosupressive drugs and chemotherapy with antineoplastic drugs.
In case of confirmed malignancy of stomach complete or step ladder or stage ladder resection of gastric or stomach to be done.
When "H. pylori" infection is present, the most effective treatments are combinations of 2 antibiotics (e.g. clarithromycin, amoxicillin, tetracycline, metronidazole) and a proton-pump inhibitor (PPI), sometimes together with a bismuth compound. In complicated, treatment-resistant cases, 3 antibiotics (e.g. amoxicillin + clarithromycin + metronidazole) may be used together with a PPI and sometimes with bismuth compound. An effective first-line therapy for uncomplicated cases would be amoxicillin + metronidazole + pantoprazole (a PPI).
H2 antagonists or proton-pump inhibitors decrease the amount of acid in the stomach, helping with healing of ulcers.
In most people with peptic ulcer disease, the oedema will usually settle with conservative management with nasogastric suction, replacement of fluids and electrolytes and proton pump inhibitors.
Antacids are a common treatment for mild to medium gastritis. When antacids do not provide enough relief, medications such as H blockers and proton-pump inhibitors that help reduce the amount of acid are often prescribed.
Cytoprotective agents are designed to help protect the tissues that line the stomach and small intestine. They include the medications sucralfate and misoprostol. If NSAIDs are being taken regularly, one of these medications to protect the stomach may also be taken. Another cytoprotective agent is bismuth subsalicylate.
Several regimens are used to treat "H. pylori" infection. Most use a combination of two antibiotics and a proton pump inhibitor. Sometimes bismuth is added to the regimen.
Surgery is indicated in cases of gastric outlet obstruction in which there is significant obstruction and in cases where medical therapy has failed. Endoscopic balloon therapy may be attempted as an alternative to surgery, with balloon dilation reporting success rates of 76% after repeat dilatons. The operation usually performed is an antrectomy, the removal of the antral portion of the stomach. Other surgical approaches include: vagotomy, the severing of the vagus nerve, the Billroth I, a procedure which involves anastomosing the duodenum to the distal stomach, or a bilateral truncal vagotomy with gastrojejunostomy.
The treatment for bile reflux is the same as the treatment for acidic reflux. In general, everything that can
reduce acidic reflux can reduce bile reflux. Examples include lifestyle modification, weight reduction, and the avoidance of eating immediately before sleep or being in the supine position immediately after meals. In addition, smoking has been found to be a factor in the development of acidic reflux. Thus, all of these factors should be applied to bile reflux as well.
Likewise, drugs that reduce the secretion of gastric acid (e.g., proton pump inhibitors)
or that reduce gastric contents or volume can be used to treat acidic bile reflux. Because prokinetic drugs increase the motility of the stomach and accelerate gastric emptying, they can also reduce bile reflux. Other drugs that reduce the relaxations of the lower esophageal sphincter, such as baclofen, have also proven to reduce bile reflux, particularly in patients who are refractory to (medically unresponsive to) proton pump inhibitor therapy.
Medications used in managing biliary reflux include bile acid sequestrants, particularly cholestyramine, which disrupt the circulation of bile in the digestive tract and sequester bile that would otherwise cause symptoms when refluxed; and prokinetic agents, to move material from the stomach to the small bowel more rapidly and prevent reflux.
Biliary reflux may also be treated surgically, if medications are ineffective or if precancerous tissue is present in the esophagus.
Other medical treatments have been tried and include estrogen and progesterone therapy, Corticostreoids are effective, but are "limited by their side effects."
GAVE is treated commonly by means of an endoscope, including argon plasma coagulation and electrocautery. Since endoscopy with argon photocoagulation is "usually effective", surgery is "usually not required". Coagulation therapy is well-tolerated but "tends to induce oozing and bleeding." "Endoscopy with thermal ablation" is favored medical treatment because of its low side effects and low mortality, but is "rarely curative." Treatment of GAVE can be categorized into endoscopic, surgical and pharmacologic. Surgical treatment is definitive but it is rarely done nowadays with the variety of treatment options available. Some of the discussed modalities have been used in GAVE patients with another underlying disease rather than SSc; they are included as they may be tried in resistant SSc-GAVE patients. Symptomatic treatment includes iron supplementation and blood transfusion for cases with severe anemia, proton pump inhibitors may ameliorate the background chronic gastritis and minute erosions that commonly co-existed in biopsy reports.
Cancer of the stomach, also called gastric cancer, is the fourth-most-common type of cancer and the second-highest cause of cancer death globally. Eastern Asia (China, Japan, Korea, Mongolia) is a high-risk area for gastric cancer, and North America, Australia, New Zealand and western and northern Africa are areas with low risk. The most common type of gastric cancer is adenocarcinoma, which causes about 750,000 deaths each year. Important factors that may contribute to the development of gastric cancer include diet, smoking and alcohol consumption, genetic aspects (including a number of heritable syndromes) and infections (for example, "Helicobacter pylori" or Epstein-Barr virus) and pernicious anemia. Chemotherapy improves survival compared to best supportive care, however the optimal regimen is unclear.
Recurrence of gastric dilatation-volvulus attacks can be a problem, occurring in up to 80 percent of dogs treated medically only (without surgery). To prevent recurrence, at the same time the bloat is treated surgically, a right-side gastropexy is often performed, which by a variety of methods firmly attaches the stomach wall to the body wall, to prevent it from twisting inside the abdominal cavity in the future. While dogs that have had gastropexies still may develop gas distension of the stomach, there is a significant reduction in recurrence of gastric volvulus. One study showed that out of 136 dogs that had surgery for gastric dilatation-volvulus, 4.3 percent of those that did have gastropexies had a recurrence, while 54.5 percent of those without the additional surgery recurred. Gastropexies are also performed prophylactically in dogs considered to be at high risk of gastric dilatation-volvulus, including dogs with previous episodes of gastric dilatation-volvulus or with gastrointestinal disease predisposing to gastric dilatation-volvulus, and dogs with a first-order relative (parent or sibling) with a history of gastric dilatation-volvulus.
Precautions that are likely to help prevent gastric dilatation-volvulus include feeding small meals throughout the day instead of one big meal and not exercising immediately before or after a meal.
Gastric dilatation volvulus is an emergency medical condition: having the animal examined by a veterinarian is imperative. GDV can become fatal within a matter of minutes.
Treatment usually involves resuscitation with intravenous fluid therapy, usually a combination of isotonic fluids and hypertonic saline or a colloidal solution such as hetastarch, and emergency surgery. The stomach is initially decompressed by passing a stomach tube, or if that is not possible, trocars can be passed through the skin into the stomach to remove the gas, alternatively the trocars may be inserted directly into the stomach following anaesthesia in order to reduce the chances of infection. During surgery, the stomach is placed back into its correct position, the abdomen is examined for any devitalized tissue (especially the stomach and spleen). A partial gastrectomy may be necessary if there is any necrosis of the stomach wall.
An important anatomic landmark in anal cancer is the pectinate line (dentate line), which is located about 1–2 cm from the anal verge (where the anal mucosa of the anal canal becomes skin). Anal cancers located above this line (towards the head) are more likely to be carcinomas, whilst those located below (towards the feet) are more likely to be squamous cell carcinomas that may ulcerate. Anal cancer is strongly associated with ulcerative colitis and the sexually transmissible infections HPV and HIV. Anal cancer may be a cause of constipation or tenesmus, or may be felt as a palpable mass, although it may occasionally present as an ulcerative form.
Anal cancer is investigated by biopsy and may be treated by excision and radiotherapy, or with external beam radiotherapy and adjunctive chemotherapy. The five-year survival rate with the latter procedure is above 70%.
It is diagnosed and treated endoscopically; however, endoscopic ultrasound or angiography can be of benefit.
Endoscopic techniques used in the treatment include epinephrine injection followed by bipolar or monopolar electrocoagulation, injection sclerotherapy, heater probe, laser photocoagulation, hemoclipping or banding. Alternatively, in patients with refractory bleeding Interventional Radiology may be consulted for an angiogram with subselective embolization.
The mortality rate for Dieulafoy's was much higher before the era of endoscopy, where open surgery was the only treatment option.
Digestive system neoplasms are tumors which affect the digestive system. Types include:
- esophageal cancer
- gastric cancer
- small intestinal cancer
- colorectal cancer
- anal cancer
Smoking has been linked to a variety of disorders of the stomach. Tobacco is known to stimulate acid production and impairs production of the protective mucus. This leads to development of ulcers in the majority of smokers.
Chronic stomach problems have also been linked to excess intake of alcohol. It has been shown that alcohol intake can cause stomach ulcer, gastritis and even stomach cancer. Thus, avoidance of smoking and excess alcohol consumption can help prevent the majority of chronic stomach disorders.
One of the most causes of chronic stomach problems is use of medications. Use of aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to treat various pain disorders can damage lining of the stomach and cause ulcers. Other medications like narcotics can interfere with stomach emptying and cause bloating, nausea, or vomiting.
The majority of chronic stomach problems are treated medically. However, there is evidence that a change in life style may help. Even though there is no specific food responsible for causing chronic stomach problems, experts recommend eating a healthy diet which consists of fruits and vegetables. Lean meat should be limited. Moreover, people should keep a diary of foods that cause problems and avoid them.
There are many tools for investigating stomach problems. The most common is endoscopy. This procedure is performed as an outpatient and utilizes a small flexible camera. The procedure does require intravenous sedation and takes about 30–45 minutes; the endoscope is inserted via the mouth and can visualize the entire swallowing tube, stomach and duodenum. The procedure also allows the physician to obtain biopsy samples. In many cases of bleeding, the surgeon can use the endoscope to treat the source of bleeding with laser, clips or other injectable drugs.