All information given here is of general nature only, a tumor therapy always belongs in the hands of an experienced oncologist!
Synonyms
Medical: Stomach carcinoma, stomach tumor, stomach Ca, adenocarcinoma of the stomach, cardiac tumor
Definition
Stomach cancer (carcinoma of the stomach) is the fifth most common cancer in women and the fourth most common cancer in men. Stomach carcinoma is a malignant, degenerated, uncontrollably growing tumor that originates from the cells of the stomach lining. The causes of stomach cancer are discussed to include nitrosamines from food, nicotine and Helicobacter pylori.
In most cases, the tumor causes symptoms late in the disease, when it is already well advanced. Due to the late diagnosis, stomach cancer is often treated late, so that this type of cancer has a rather unfavorable prognosis for the patients.
- Throat
- Esophageal esophagus
- Gastric entrance at diaphragm level (diaphragm)
- Stomach (Gaster)
TNM Classification Stomach Cancer
The stage of the tumor is determined by the page for the diagnosis of stomach cancer mentioned on the previous page. The tumor stage is decisive for further therapy planning. However, an exact assessment of the tumor stage is often only possible after the operation, when the tumor has been removed (resected) and the lymph nodes have been examined histologically.
There are different classifications for stomach tumors, for example according to the appearance of the tumor cells, the type of growth or the location in the stomach. The TNM classification is the generally recognized classification system for tumors of different types. T stands for the tumor size and its extension in the wall layers of the organ N stands for the number of affected lymph nodes M stands for tumor metastases in distant organs.
Classification
T: Primary tumor TX: Primary tumor not assessable T0: No evidence of primary tumor Tis: Carcinoma in situ, tumor cell detection without invasion into the lamina propria mucosae T1: Tumor grows into the lamina propria mucosae and/or submucosa T2: Tumor grows into the muscularis propria or subserosa T3: Tumor grows into the serosa, neighboring organs are tumor-free T4: Grows into neighboring organs (colon transversum, liver (hepar), pancreas, diaphragm, spleen, abdominal wall. (The wall layers of the stomach are explained on the page Stomach Anatomy. ) N: Lymph node involvement NX: Regional lymph nodes are not assessable N0: No regional lymph node metastases present N1: Metastases present in 1-6 regional lymph nodes N2: Metastases present in 7-15 regional lymph nodes N3: Metastases present in more than 15 regional lymph nodesM: MX: distant metastases not assessableM0: no distant metastases presentM1: distant metastases present R – Additional classificationR: After surgery (resection) R0: Complete tumor removedR1: Only microscopically visible residual tumor remained. R2: residual tumor visible to the naked eye (macroscopically) remained
