Carcinoma stomach. a thrapeutic challenge

ABSTRACT

A five year retrospective study was carried out in Surgical Unit - IV Liaquat Medical College Hospital Jamshoro. The cases of carcinoma stomach admitted from January 1993 to December, 1997 were included in the study to determine the clinical presentation and treatment of gastric cancer. Duration of symptoms were less than six months in 70 percent cases. Abdominal pain [60 percent], vomiting [54 percent], peptic ulcer symptoms [50 percent], GIT bleeding [36], dysphagia [36 percent] weight loss [40 percent] palpable mass [48 percent], ascites [34.3 percent] and hepatomegaly [42.8 percent] were the main clinical presentations. Out of 50 cases 35 were operated, 15 being unfit for the operation. Out of 35 cases no procedure could be performed in 15 cases due to advanced stage of disease. Palliative gastrectomy was performed in 10 and curative surgery in another 10 cases. Duodenal leakage [14.3 percent], bleeding [11.43 percent], wound infection [8.5 percent], UTI [17.14 percent] and small bowel obstruction [2.83 percent] were major complications. Upper GIT endoscopy for early diagnosis of carcinoma of stomach is essential especially before starting treatment for peptic ulcer symptoms