One of the Leading Causes of Stomach Cancer: Helicobacter Pylori (Helicobacter Pylori!)

Helicobacter pylori, one of the most important causes of stomach cancer, lives silently in the stomachs of millions of people around the world without being noticed. Pointing out that the World Health Organization's approach to this bacterium, which is an invisible threat to many people, has also changed, Gastroenterology Specialist Prof. Dr. Meltem Ergün said, “Helicobacter bacteria is now considered an infectious disease and it is recommended to kill the bacteria when it is detected.”
Complaints such as indigestion, loss of appetite or heartburn, which are frequently encountered in daily life, are often thought to be the result of malnutrition or stress and may be ignored. Yeditepe University Kozyatağı Hospital Gastroenterology Specialist Prof. Dr. Meltem Ergün reminded that these seemingly innocent complaints may be the first signs of stomach cancer.
Stating that the similarity of the symptoms of stomach cancer, which is the fourth most common type of cancer in the world, with different gastrointestinal problems is an important reason for late recognition, our specialist continued her words as follows: “Stomach cancer is the most common type of gastrointestinal cancer after intestinal cancer. Due to its late detection, it is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage. However, we want to start treatment with early diagnosis before the tumor spreads to other organs in the abdomen. In this way, the patient's life expectancy increases. Unfortunately, very good results cannot be obtained in late diagnosis.”

Higher Risk of Stomach Cancer in Developing Countries

“Attention should be drawn to the effect of Helicobacter pylori infection on stomach cancer, it should be remembered that this bacterium is a preventable factor and that the risk of stomach cancer can be reduced with early diagnosis.” said our expert and continued his words as follows: “Helicobacter pylori is a bacterium that plays an important role in stomach cancer and is common worldwide.
While 70-80 percent of the population in developing countries have this bacteria, the rate varies between 10-30 percent in developed countries. This leads to a higher risk of stomach cancer in developing countries.”

Reminding that stomach cancer is also closely related to eating habits, our specialist stated that stomach cancer is observed more frequently in Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia regions due to eating and living habits, although the incidence is relatively low in Turkey and added: “Smoking, drinking very hot tea and chewing tobacco products increase the rates of esophageal cancers and stomach cancers. Eating habits are also of great importance. Eating a fatty, pastry and meat-based diet is an important risk factor for stomach and intestinal tumors. For this reason, tumors that develop at a young age are mostly seen in individuals of Eastern and Southeastern origin.”

Those with a family history of stomach and colon cancer should start screenings earlier

Emphasizing that Helicobacter bacteria is the leading cause of stomach cancer, our expert said, “Although it is so common in the society, fortunately, stomach cancer is not seen at the same rate. Because diet and nutrition factors also play an important role in the emergence of the disease. Therefore, if there is no family history of stomach cancer and a healthy diet, we are relatively more fortunate in this regard. However, especially those with a family history of colon, pancreatic and stomach cancer should start screening earlier.”

“Sudden stomach complaints are alarming”

Stating that three risk factors for stomach cancer, such as eating habits, the presence of Helicobacter microbe and smoking habit, affect not only the occurrence of the disease but also its early onset, our expert explained the alarm symptoms of stomach cancer as follows: “One of the most important symptoms is involuntary weight loss. Patients make explanations such as 'I have never been able to lose weight despite all my efforts until now, but now I have lost my appetite, I cannot eat, I am losing weight involuntarily. Another symptom is anemia of unknown cause. Anemia, which occurs in both sexes and at any age, is a very important risk factor, especially in postmenopausal women. Women with anemia at a young age normally recover their blood levels after menopause. If anemia persists after menopause, this is a warning sign. Sudden onset of stomach complaints is another symptom; it can manifest as stomach pain, burning, bloating or gas. Patients say, 'Until now, if I ate a stone, I could grind it, I had no complaints about my stomach, but now I feel sick if I eat bread or meatballs. If they say, 'I feel bad whether I am hungry or full,' this is very alarming for us. In summary, patients with new-onset gastrointestinal complaints, stomach disorders that start after middle age, weight loss of unknown cause, nausea, vomiting and anemia of unknown cause should consult a specialist without wasting time.”

Symptoms may be confused with different stomach diseases

“Another important point in terms of stomach cancer is that patients' complaints are confused with different stomach diseases,” said our specialist and continued his words as follows: “Similar complaints can be experienced in new-onset gastritis and ulcers. However, the definitive diagnosis can be made by endoscopy. In endoscopic examination, we can get an idea about how deep the lesion goes. However, we use different imaging methods such as MRI and PET-CT to determine whether the cancer has spread into the abdomen or other organs and to determine its stage. Endoscopic ultrasound can also be used to find out which layers of the stomach are involved. We stage the cancer with all the results obtained.”

As the Stomach Cancer Stage Progresses, the Success to be Obtained from Treatment Declines

Prof. Dr. Meltem Ergün pointed out that when stomach cancer is caught at an early stage, the 5-year survival rate is between 50-70 percent, but this rate decreases in advanced stages, and explained the following about treatment: “We determine treatment methods according to the type, cellular structure and stage of the disease. For this purpose, when the diagnosis is made, the situation is evaluated multidisciplinarily in the tumor council, which includes gastroenterology, radiology, medical oncology, general surgery and pathology specialists, and appropriate treatment planning is made for the patient. In the early stages, of course, surgical treatment comes to the fore. If the disease has not spread anywhere else and is only inside the stomach, we remove the tumorous part of the stomach or the entire stomach. The location of the tumor is decisive here. However, if there is a spread to the liver or peritoneum, treatments such as hot chemotherapy and radiotherapy come to the fore. Therefore, the treatment is decided by evaluating many factors such as the cellular type of the tumor, its spread and its location.”

Routine Examination Important for Disease Prevention

Yeditepe University Kozyatağı Hospital Gastroenterology Specialist emphasized that there is no recommended screening program for stomach cancer and therefore the most important point is to take the necessary precautions to prevent the disease and not to neglect health screenings: “The World Health Organization and gastroenterology associations recommend colonoscopy screening for everyone over the age of 45 without any complaints to prevent colorectal cancer. This method is highly effective in colon cancer screening. However, there is no similar standard for stomach cancer. There are no general guidelines stating that endoscopy should be performed at a certain age for stomach cancer screening. This is not a common practice worldwide, except in countries like Japan where stomach cancer is quite common. However, since stomach cancer is not so common in Europe and America, routine screening is not recommended. As gastroenterologists in Turkey, the approach is to examine the stomach with endoscopy in patients who are screened with colonoscopy. Although this method is not recommended by everyone as a standard, this examination can be performed when possible. In addition, endoscopy should be performed when some symptoms called 'alarm symptoms' are observed.”

Change Your Lifestyle to Prevent Stomach Cancer

Explaining that some changes should be made in lifestyle to prevent stomach cancer, our expert said, “Mediterranean-type nutrition should be preferred, consumption of fiber foods and fresh vegetables and fruits should be increased. Smoking and alcohol should be avoided. Especially too spicy foods should be avoided. The risk of stomach cancer can be significantly reduced with small changes in lifestyle. Raising public awareness about Helicobacter pylori and controlling this infection in developing countries can prevent the increase in stomach cancer cases in the future.”