Everyone Healthy Library
Gastric Cancer
Condition / disease reference page from the Everyone Healthy database.
! Seek urgent medical care if warning signs appear
Some health conditions or symptoms can become urgent. Use this page for education, but seek help quickly if warning signs are present.
Get urgent medical care now if there is any severe, sudden, rapidly worsening or worrying symptom, especially:
- chest pain, pressure or pain spreading to the arm, jaw or back
- trouble breathing, blue lips, severe wheeze or choking
- stroke-like symptoms such as face drooping, arm weakness or speech trouble
- collapse, fainting, seizure, confusion or extreme drowsiness
- severe bleeding, black stools, vomiting blood or major injury
- severe allergic reaction, swelling of the face/throat or widespread rash with breathing trouble
- severe abdominal pain, severe headache, stiff neck or sudden vision change
- signs of severe dehydration, sepsis, high fever with worsening illness, or symptoms in a baby/young child that concern you
Connected health information
Explore this condition in a clear order
Condition overview
Attributes
Commonalityis rare
Incidenceis approximately 1 in 11,628 people
Linked signs and symptoms
14Each sign/symptom opens its own page and links back to related conditions.
Linked drugs / medications
1Medication information is educational only. A doctor or pharmacist should advise whether any medicine is appropriate.
Treatments, therapies and supportive options
6Grouped by treatment type. These are educational database links, not personal treatment recommendations. Evidence labels are shown only where stored in the EH database.
Linked diagnostic tests and investigations
31These are pulled from both EH diagnostic-test link tables, including the older large test-link table.
- Alpha-1 Antitrypsin (AAT) Concentration
- Alpha-Fetoprotein (AFP, Serum AFP, Blood)
- Antithrombin 111 (AT-111) Activity Test
- Blood Uric Acid Concentration Test
- Cerebrospinal Fluid Glucose Concentration
- Cerebrospinal Fluid Protein Concentration
- Cerebrospinal Fluid White Cell Differential
- D-Dimer Blood Test
- Eosinophils Count
- Fecal Occult Blood Test
- Fibrin Degradation Products (FDPs, Fibrin Split Products, FSPs, Fibrin Breakdown Products, Fbps)
- Fibrin Monomers Test
- Fibrinogen Concentration test
- Fibrinopeptide A (FPA) Action Assay
- Folic Acid (Folate) Concentration
- haptoglobin (Hp) concentration
- Iron Concentration
- Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) Concentration
- Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin (MCH) Weight Test
- Neutrophil Absolute Count
- Platelet Count
- Potassium Concentration (K, Blood)
- Protein Electrophoresis (Blood, Serum Protein)
- Reticulocyte Absolute Count
- Thyroid Stimulating Horomone (TSH) Concentration
- Thyroxine (Total T4) Concentration
- Triiodothyronine (Free T3) Concentration
- Triiodothyronine (Total T3) Concentration
- Triiodothyronine Uptake Test
- Vitamin B12 (VB12) Concentration
- White Blood Cell (WBC) Count
Biological markers/agents
32This visual map shows biological markers/agents reported as increased or decreased with this condition. These are educational relationships only; test results must be interpreted by a qualified clinician because ranges vary by lab, method, age, sex and clinical context.
Often increased
20- Alpha-1 Antintrypsin (AAT)Reference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 90–215 mg/dLLinked diagnostic testsAlpha-1 Antitrypsin (AAT) Concentration
- Alpha-Fetoprotein (Non-Pregnant, Serum)Reference range exampleAll: 5–40 ng/mLLinked diagnostic testsAlpha-Fetoprotein (AFP, Serum AFP
- Cerebrospinal Fluid LeukocytesReference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 0–5 /µL; 1y - 6y: 0–20 /µLLinked diagnostic testsCerebrospinal Fluid White Cell Differential
- Cerebrospinal Fluid Neutrophil DifferentialReference range exampleAll: 0–5 %Linked diagnostic testsCerebrospinal Fluid White Cell Differential
- Cerebrospinal Fluid Total ProteinReference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 15–45 mg/dL; Child (< 10y): 15–70 mg/dLLinked diagnostic testsCerebrospinal Fluid Protein Concentration
- D-DimerReference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 0–240 µg/LLinked diagnostic testsD-Dimer Blood Test
- EosinophilsReference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 0–3 %; 0–3 %Linked diagnostic testsDifferential White Blood Cell Count Tests, Eosinophil Differential Of Total WBC
- Fecal BloodReference range exampleAll: 0–2 mLLinked diagnostic testsFecal Occult Blood Test
- Fibrin MonomersReference range example0–10,000 µg/LLinked diagnostic testsFibrin Monomers Test
- Fibrin Split ProductsReference range exampleAll: 0–1 mg/dLLinked diagnostic testsFibrin Degradation Products (FDPs, Fibrin Split Products
- FibrinogenReference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 150–400 mg/dLLinked diagnostic testsFibrinogen Concentration test
- Fibrinopeptide A (FPA)Reference range exampleAdult ( > 16y), Female: 0.7–3.1 mg/mL; Adult ( > 16y), Male: 0.35–2.5 mg/mLLinked diagnostic testsFibrinopeptide A (FPA) Action Assay
- Gamma Globulin (Blood, Serum)Reference range exampleAll: 0.8–1.7 gm/dLLinked diagnostic testsProtein Electrophoresis (Blood, Serum Protein)
- haptoglobin (Hp)Reference range example45–200 mg/dLLinked diagnostic testshaptoglobin (Hp) concentration
- PlateletsReference range exampleChild (0 - 16y): 150–450 109/L; Adult ( > 16y): 135–380 109/LLinked diagnostic testsPlatelet Count
- Segmented NeutrophilsReference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 50–62 %; Adult ( > 16y): 2,500–8,000 mm3Linked diagnostic testsDifferential White Blood Cell Count Tests, Neutrophil Absolute Count
- Thyroid Stimulating Horomone (TSH)Reference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 0.021–0.11 µg/dL; Newborn (0 - 1month): 0.04–0.19 µg/dLLinked diagnostic testsThyroid Stimulating Horomone (TSH) Concentration, Urine B2 Microglobulin Concentration
- Triiodothyronine Uptake PercentageReference range exampleAll: 25–38 %Linked diagnostic testsTriiodothyronine Uptake Test
- Uric Acid, BloodReference range exampleAdult ( > 16y), Female: 2.5–7 mg/dL; Adult ( > 16y), Male: 4–8 mg/dLLinked diagnostic testsBlood Uric Acid Concentration Test
- White Blood Cell (WBC)Reference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 4.5–10.5 million/mL; Adult ( > 16y): 3.2–10 million/mLLinked diagnostic testsWhite Blood Cell (WBC) Count
Often decreased
12- Antithrombin 111 (AT-111)Reference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 90–110 %Linked diagnostic testsAntithrombin 111 (AT-111) Activity Test
- Folic Acid (Folate)Reference range exampleInfant (0 - 1y): 14–51 ng/mL; Child (0 - 16y): 5–21 ng/mLLinked diagnostic testsFolic Acid (Folate) Concentration
- Glucose (Cerebrospinal Fluid)Reference range exampleChild (0 - 16y): 65–85 mg/dL; Adult ( > 16y): 50–72 mg/dLLinked diagnostic testsCerebrospinal Fluid Glucose Concentration
- Hemoglobin (Hb)Reference range exampleFemale: 78–100 gm/dL; Male: 76–100 gm/dLLinked diagnostic testsHemoglobin (Hb) Concentration, Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin (MCH) Weight Test
- IronReference range exampleChild (0 - 16y): 50–120 µg/dL; Adult ( > 16y), Female: 50–150 µg/dLLinked diagnostic testsIron Concentration, Total Iron Binding Capacity (TIBC)
- Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL)Reference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 0–125 mg/dL; 6y - 16y: 0–100 mg/dLLinked diagnostic testsLow Density Lipoprotein (LDL) Concentration
- Potassium (K, Blood)AbbreviationKReference range exampleInfant (0 - 1y): 4.1–5.3 mEq/L; Child (0 - 16y): 3.4–4.7 mEq/LLinked diagnostic testsPotassium Concentration (K, Blood)
- ReticulocytesReference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 24–83 109/L; 0.5–1.5 %Linked diagnostic testsReticulocyte Absolute Count, Reticulocyte Count Percent Total RBC
- Thyroxine (Total T4)Reference range exampleAdult ( > 16y), Female: 6–12 µg/dL; Adult ( > 16y), Male: 5–12 µg/dLLinked diagnostic testsThyroxine (Total T4) Concentration
- Triiodothyronine (Free T3)Reference range example2.7–4.9 pg/mLLinked diagnostic testsTriiodothyronine (Free T3) Concentration
- Triiodothyronine (Total T3)Reference range exampleInfant (0 - 1y): 1.1–2.43 ng/mL; Adult ( > 16y): 1–2.1 ng/mLLinked diagnostic testsTriiodothyronine (Total T3) Concentration
- Vitamin B12 (VB12)Reference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 130–670 pmol/LLinked diagnostic testsVitamin B12 (VB12) Concentration
Introduction / full article
Gastric Cancer
Gastric cancer
While gastric cancer is one of the most common types of cancer, the mortality rate is still high. This is due to the late presentation of many patients who may already be in the advanced stages of the disease. There are no early ‘warning’ signs of gastric cancer. When symptoms do appear it is usually a sign that the condition has already fully developed. Symptoms include indigestion, vomiting, loss of appetite, black faeces, and pale skin. Gastric cancer development is thought to be influenced by both genetics and environment. Smoking and certain diets are related to increased risk of developing gastric cancer.
Efficacy of Alternative and Other Treatments According to GRADE* Ranking:
Pau D'Arco (Lapachol, Tabebuia Impetiginosa, Tabebuia Heptaphylla) [1, 11]:
Please note, this treatment has potentially serious side effects. Some of the chemicals in the plant are known to be toxic. High doses are known to cause liver and kidney. Even at low doses, chemicals in the plant may interfere with blood clotting, causing excess bleeding and anaemia. Pau D'Arco should be avoided, especially by pregnant or breastfeeding women.
Recommendation: Strongly against (There is insufficient evidence to support claims that Pau D'arco helps to treat ulcers. This, combined with its potentially harmful side effects if taken without supervision from a doctor or pharmacist gives enough reason to avoid this treatment.)
Grade of Evidence: very low quality of evidence
Mistletoe (Iscador, Viscum Album) [1, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]:
Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present. WARNING: The mistletoe plant should NOT be eaten because it is poisonous. May cause seizures, coma and death. It should only be taken as a purified mistletoe extract, and only in recommended doses.
Recommendation: No recommendation (Studies on the effect of Mistletoe on Gastric Cancer have yielded mixed, conflicting results. More research is needed.)
Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence
Licorice (Glcyrhiz Gaba) [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]:
Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present. Licorice has been shown to have potentially harmful side effects in people with high blood pressure, liver or kidney diseases)
Recommendation: Weakly in favor (Small studies and laboratory tests show that Licorice may help reduce tumor growth in gastric cancer, but more research is needed)
Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence
* www.gradeworkinggroup.org
Summary References
Treatments:
1. Ades T, Alteri R, Gansler T, Yeargin P, "Complete Guide to Complimentary & Alternative Cancer Therapies", American Cancer Society, Atlanta USA, 2009
2. Winston, David; Steven Maimes (2007). Adaptogens: Herbs for Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief. Healing Arts Press.
3. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15190039
4. http://nccam.nih.gov/health/licoriceroot/
5. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/patient-licorice.html
6. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/mistletoe
7. http://nccam.nih.gov/health/mistletoe/ataglance.htm
8. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002883.htm
9. http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/m/mistle40.html
10. http://www.bmj.com/content/333/7582/1293.full?ijkey=56e55886cc53e0c478801e74001edc3bea1c322e&keytype2=tf_ipsecsha
11. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/pau-d-arco