I may be jumping the gun here, but my mother has an ulcer that has not improved with intense antibiotic treatment. She’s been referred to a specialist now, but I’m wondering if it may be something much more serious: there have been lots of cancer cases in my family and I’m a bit paranoid.
Can stomach cancer mask itself as an ulcer?
11
Mar
dan
March 11, 2010 at 5:40 pm
Yes it can but your doctor may have excluded that by now.
Has she has an endoscopy (the procedure in which a telescope device is put through her mouth into her stomach)? If so, a simple biopsy of the ulcer will have shown that it is not cancer.
Good luck.
Boricua
March 11, 2010 at 5:43 pm
Well, if they are still doing test on her, you just have to wait to see what the results state. An ulcer is an ulcer, but in your Mother’s case, I am sorry to have to be blunt, they (doctors) might think differently. As long as she is taking care of the situation, don’t worry to much about. The test will let you know either way. I have just never heard of giving antibiotics for an ulcer…..but what do I know. I think that worrying now is not help to your Mother, just go with her when she needs you, just show her the love you have for her, also be strong for her too.
God bless.
gangadharan_nair
March 11, 2010 at 6:04 pm
STOMACH CANCER-symptoms.(Cancer should be suspected if an ulcer do not heal within a reasonable period in spite of medical treatment.)
1. Rather abrupt onset of indigestion after eating.
2. Loss of appetite for more than 2 weeks.
3. Indigestion, especially after eating, if it persists for more than 2 to 3 weeks.
4. Bloody or coffee-ground vomit.
5. Tar-black stool from someone not taking iron-containing pills.
6. Weight loss, weakness, and lethargy (often late symptoms).
Etiology of stomach cancer is multifactorial, but Helicobacter pylori plays a significant role. Symptoms include early satiety, obstruction, and bleeding but tend to occur late in the disease. Diagnosis is by endoscopy, followed by CT and endoscopic ultrasound for staging. Treatment is mainly surgery; chemotherapy may provide a temporary response. Long-term survival is poor except for those with local disease.
Please see the web pages for more details on Stomach / Gastric cancer.
mountainchowpurple
March 11, 2010 at 6:15 pm
yes an ulcer can turn into cancer over the years
amateur kayaker
March 11, 2010 at 7:00 pm
Gastric ulcers are routinely biopsied to rule out the possibility of cancer. I am assuming your mother had an endoscopy done and if she did a biopsy of the ulcer was probably done. It should have shown if there is cancer or not. If she has not had an endoscopy done then she should have one. She needs to see a gastroenterologist.