The stomach is the largest part of the gastrointestinal tract and is the first digestive organ into which food enters immediately after the esophagus. Here the food is treated with stomach acid and broken down into smaller pieces. After about 3-4 hours, the food is thrown into the duodenum. Digestion continues here. The stomach secretes substances involved in the absorption of iron, which is necessary for blood formation, and in the absorption of vitamin B12.
Stomach ulcers and gastritis are the most common stomach disorders. Some stomach ulcers are mistaken for stomach cancers. To find out, endoscopy is performed and a sample is taken and sent to pathology for diagnosis. While the treatment of stomach diseases is medication, surgical treatment should be performed in the presence of cancer.
Gastric polyps, i.e. moles originating from inside the stomach, should also be removed endoscopically. If there is cancer inside the polyps or if they are very large, surgical treatment is necessary.
Gastric cancers are common cancers and their diagnosis and treatment require a specialized approach. Patients often present with weight loss, bleeding or obstruction. The most effective diagnostic method is to see the tumor by endoscopic examination and to take a piece of the tumor and evaluate it in pathology. In addition, radiological examinations such as whole abdomen tomography and PET-CT should be performed to understand the extent of the tumor.
Neoadjuvant treatment can be applied in appropriate patients. The main treatment is surgery and the tumor should be removed together with the surrounding tissue and lymph nodes.
These procedures, which take approximately 2-4 hours, can be performed as closed (laparoscopic) or open surgery. In appropriate cases, laparoscopic surgery allows the patient to have a lighter and less painful hospitalization period lasting approximately 1 week after surgery. After all procedures are completed, patients are referred to the relevant units for oncologic treatment.
