Condition Lookup

Gastric Adenocarcinoma

Symptoms:
abdominal pain; unexplained weight loss; nausea; vomiting; loss of appetite; early satiety; blood in stool; fatigue

Root Cause:
Malignant transformation of the gastric mucosal cells, often associated with chronic inflammation, H. pylori infection, genetic predisposition, or dietary carcinogens.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Endoscopy with biopsy, imaging studies (CT scan, MRI, PET), blood tests for tumor markers (e.g., CEA, CA 19-9), and staging procedures.

Treatment:
Surgical resection (gastrectomy), chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy (e.g., HER2 inhibitors for HER2-positive tumors).

Medications:
Treatment may include chemotherapy drugs such as 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) (antimetabolite), cisplatin (platinum-based alkylating agent), and trastuzumab (HER2-targeted monoclonal antibody) for HER2-positive cases.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
One of the most common types of stomach cancer, with higher rates in East Asia, Eastern Europe, and South America.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
H. pylori infection, smoking, high salt intake, diet low in fruits and vegetables, chronic gastritis, family history of gastric cancer, genetic syndromes (e.g., Lynch syndrome).

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Prognosis depends on the stage at diagnosis; early detection improves survival rates significantly, but advanced cases have poorer outcomes.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Metastasis to other organs (liver, lungs, peritoneum), gastrointestinal bleeding, obstruction, and malnutrition.

Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome (Gastrinoma)

Specialty: Gastrointestinal

Category: Other Stomach Conditions

Sub-category: Stomach Cancer

Symptoms:
abdominal pain; diarrhea; nausea; vomiting; weight loss; heartburn; gastric ulcers; gastrointestinal bleeding

Root Cause:
Excessive secretion of gastrin due to a gastrin-secreting tumor (gastrinoma), leading to increased stomach acid production.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Blood tests to measure gastrin levels, secretin stimulation test, imaging studies (CT, MRI, or somatostatin receptor scintigraphy) to locate gastrinoma, and endoscopic examination.

Treatment:
Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) to reduce acid production, surgical removal of the gastrinoma, and chemotherapy or targeted therapy for metastatic disease.

Medications:
Proton pump inhibitors (e.g., omeprazole or esomeprazole ) to reduce gastric acid secretion; somatostatin analogs (e.g., octreotide ) to inhibit gastrin release; chemotherapeutic agents (e.g., streptozocin and doxorubicin ) for advanced cases.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Rare; occurs in approximately 1–3 individuals per million annually.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Associated with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1), family history of endocrine tumors.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Varies; curable if localized gastrinoma is surgically removed, but prognosis worsens with metastatic disease.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Peptic ulcers, perforation of the stomach or intestines, gastrointestinal bleeding, severe diarrhea, and malnutrition.

Menetrier’s Disease (Hypertrophic Gastropathy)

Specialty: Gastrointestinal

Category: Other Stomach Conditions

Sub-category: Stomach Cancer

Symptoms:
nausea; vomiting; epigastric pain; diarrhea; anorexia; weight loss; edema due to protein loss

Root Cause:
Overgrowth of the stomach’s mucosal lining, leading to large gastric folds, protein loss, and reduced acid production.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Endoscopy with biopsy of stomach tissue, barium swallow test, serum albumin levels to assess protein loss, and imaging to identify gastric wall thickening.

Treatment:
Symptomatic management, nutritional support, proton pump inhibitors, and sometimes total gastrectomy in severe cases.

Medications:
Proton pump inhibitors (e.g., pantoprazole or lansoprazole ) to reduce gastric secretion; cetuximab , a monoclonal antibody targeting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), has shown promise in some cases.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Extremely rare; incidence is not well-documented.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Unknown, though some cases are linked to cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in children or H. pylori infection in adults.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Variable; some cases resolve spontaneously, while others progress and require surgical intervention.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Severe protein loss leading to hypoalbuminemia, gastric adenocarcinoma, malnutrition, and fluid retention (edema).