No Stomach For Cancer


You may probably have heard of prophylactic mastectomy and hysterectomy in women with BRCA mutations, thanks to Angelina Jolie for bringing us the awareness.

This article caught my eye because of this prophylactic surgery: total gastrectomy, complete removal of the stomach of people carrying CDH1 gene mutation.

The stomach is one of the main organs of the gastrointestinal tract that breaks down and digests food to extract necessary nutrients you need. The protein, carbohydrates and fat are broken down in small enough amounts to be absorbed into the bloodstream through the wall of the intestine.

When gastric cancer strikes, it is difficult to treat because of the rapid growth of the tumor and malnutrition is also not uncommon among patients with gastric cancer because the stomach is a key player of the digestive system.

After a gastrectomy, prophylactic or not, the person has less room to hold food in the remaining part of the stomach. Cramping, diarrhea, bloating, nausea, vomiting and weakness may result from the quick dumping of food and beverages into the small intestine. 

A person who had his/her stomach removed may need to follow a post-gastrectomy regimen to help slow initial weight loss and obtain adequate amount of nutrients that include:
  • Eat small and frequent meals
  • Eat slowly and chew throughly
  • Avoid carbonated or sugary beverages
  • Do not eat and drink at the same time: wait 30 to 60 minutes after a meal before drinking
It takes a lot of strength and courage for someone to make a difficult decision like this. One may think that after prophylactic surgery, the nightmare is over. But after gastrectomy, a person needs to be diligent and careful of to take care of their body.

Link to the original article: https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-parent-has-a-cancer-geneshould-the-child-get-surgery-1520347436?mod=searchresults&page=1&pos=6

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