Nursing Diagnosis for Stomach Cancer

Stomach cancer or gastric cancer is a disease in which tumors are found in the stomach. Stomach cancer is common throughout the world and affects all races, it is more common in men than women, and has its peak age range between 40 and 60 years old. If it is not diagnosed quickly, it may spread to other parts of your stomach as well as to other organs. There are twice as many males with this disease than females. The majority of people with stomach cancer are between fifty and seventy years old. It is more prevalent in Japan, Korea, Great Britain, South America and Iceland than in the United States.

Signs and Symptoms of Stomach Cancer

Nausea and vomiting

Nausea and vomiting are symptoms that you can find in almost any disease not just in digestive system disorders. The reason that it is on this list is because nausea and vomiting, as related to stomach cancer, might also be caused by tumor growth. Persistent nausea and vomiting can also cause trauma to your esophagus.

Abdominal Pain

This pain could be caused by the growth of a tumor in your stomach. Usually with stomach cancer, the pain is somewhere near the upper part of your stomach and can either be persistent or intermittent.

Anorexia

Anorexia also known as loss of appetite. Not being hungry for a day to two might be considered normal, but if it persists for more than that, it could be a serious problem. Take note that anorexia, or loss of appetite, is not a telltale sign of cancer alone. It could also be an indicator of other diseases.

Unintended weight loss

Now, a lot of people have been wondering just why a patient with cancer seems to tend to lose weight even without trying. The answer to that is simple. The cancer cells take in the nutrients that are really meant for the body. In essence, they are the ones getting healthier while the body suffers.

Causes of Stomach cancer

The exact cause is unknown although the presence of the Helicopter pylori bacterium seems to be a major factor. Predisposing factors include environmental influences such as smoking and high alcohol intake. Because stomach cancer is more common amongst those with a family history and with people with type A blood, genetic factors are also implicated. Dietary factors, particularly methods of food preservation such as pickling, smoking or salting also have an influence on the prevalence.

Types of Stomach cancer

There are several different types of stomach cancer, some of which are very rare. The most common types start in the glandular cells of the stomach lining (adenocarcinomas), this is where stomach acid and digestive enzymes are made, and where most cancers start. When the tumor becomes more advanced, it can travel through the bloodstream and spread to organs such as the liver, lungs, and bones. Cancers that start in the lymphatic tissue (lymphoma), in the stomach's muscular tissue (sarcoma) or in the tissues that support the organs of the digestive system (gastrointestinal stromal tumors) are less common and are treated in different ways.


Nursing Diagnosis for Gastric Cancer

Preoperative

1. Acute pain related to the growth of cancer cells

2. Anxiety related to plan surgery

3. Imbalanced Nutrition Less Than Body Requirements related to nausea, vomiting and no appetite

4. Activity intolerance related to physical weakness.

Postoperative

1. Ineffective breathing pattern related to the influence of anesthesia.

2. Acute pain related to interruption of the body secondary to invasive procedures or surgical intervention.

3. Imbalanced Nutrition Less Than Body Requirements related to fasting status.

4. Risk for infection related to an increased susceptibility secondary to the procedure.