Toby Keith Death Due To Stomach Cancer: Understanding Stomach Cancer: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment Insights
Sad news – Toby Keith, the country singer famous for songs like “Red Solo Cup” and “Should Have Been a Cowboy,” has passed away at the age of 62. He was diagnosed with stomach cancer in the fall of 2021. His family shared that he peacefully left us on Monday night, fighting his battle with grace and courage. They’ve asked for privacy during this difficult time.
What Is Stomach Cancer?
Stomach cancer, also known as gastric cancer, happens when cells in the stomach start growing abnormally. The stomach is in the upper middle part of your belly, just below the ribs, and it helps break down and digest food.
This type of cancer can occur in any part of the stomach, but in most places around the world, it usually happens in the main part, called the stomach body. However, in the United States, it’s more likely to start near the gastroesophageal junction, where the long tube carrying the food you swallow meets the stomach. This tube is called the esophagus.
When deciding on a treatment plan, healthcare providers consider where the cancer starts in the stomach, along with other factors like the cancer’s stage and the type of cells involved. Treatment often involves surgery to remove the stomach cancer, and other treatments may be used before and after the surgery.
The chances of successful treatment are higher if the cancer is only in the stomach. People with small stomach cancers often have a good prognosis and can expect to be cured. Unfortunately, most stomach cancers are detected at an advanced stage, making a cure less likely. Stomach cancer that grows through the stomach wall or spreads to other parts of the body is more challenging to cure.
Symptoms of Stomach Cancer
Stomach cancer can show various signs, including:
- Difficulty swallowing
- Pain in the belly
- Feeling bloated after eating
- Feeling full even after small meals
- Not feeling hungry when you should
- Heartburn
- Indigestion
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Unintentional weight loss
- Extreme fatigue
- Black-colored stools
Early stages of stomach cancer may not always have noticeable symptoms, but when they do, it can be things like indigestion and upper belly pain. As the cancer advances, symptoms may become more apparent, such as extreme tiredness, unintentional weight loss, vomiting blood, and black stools.
If stomach cancer spreads to other parts of the body (metastatic stomach cancer), it causes specific symptoms depending on where it goes. For instance, if it spreads to the lymph nodes, you might feel lumps under the skin. Liver spread could result in yellowing of the skin and eyes, while abdominal spread may lead to a swollen appearance due to fluid accumulation.
Causes of Stomach Cancer
Certain things can increase your chances of getting stomach cancer. These include:
- Smoking tobacco
- Being over 60 years old
- Infection with the bacteria Helicobacter pylori
- Eating a lot of smoked, pickled, and salty foods while not having enough fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet
- Drinking alcohol
- Being overweight or obese
- Having pernicious anemia (low red blood cells)
- Dealing with chronic gastritis (inflammation of the stomach)
- Having a family history of stomach cancer
- Undergoing partial gastrectomy for ulcer disease (especially after about 20 years)
- Inheriting a genetic change that leads to bowel disorders like familial adenomatous polyposis or hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer.
How Is Stomach Cancer Diagnosed?
Doctors usually don’t routinely check for stomach cancer because it’s not very common, and extra tests might not be helpful. Over the past 60 years, the number of stomach cancer cases has actually gone down.
But if you’re at a higher risk, it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor about keeping an eye out for it. If you have symptoms or risk factors, your doctor might recommend certain tests.
To figure out if you have stomach cancer, your doctor will begin with a physical exam and ask about your medical history, looking for any factors that might increase your risk. Then, they might suggest some tests, including:
- Blood tests to check for signs of cancer.
- Upper endoscopy, where a thin tube with a small camera goes down your throat to check your stomach.
- Upper GI series test, where you drink a chalky liquid to make your stomach show up better on X-rays.
- CT scan, a powerful X-ray that creates detailed pictures of your body’s insides.
- Biopsy, where a small piece of tissue is taken from your stomach and examined under a microscope to look for cancer cells. This might happen during an endoscopy.
How Can I Prevent Stomach Cancer?
To reduce the risk of stomach cancer, here are some things you can do:
- Treat Stomach Infections: If you have ulcers caused by an H. pylori infection, get treatment. Antibiotics can kill the bacteria, and other medications can help heal the sores in your stomach lining, lowering your risk of cancer.
- Eat Healthy: Include more fresh fruits and vegetables in your daily meals. They’re rich in fiber and certain vitamins that can decrease your risk of cancer. Try to avoid overly salty, pickled, cured, or smoked foods like hot dogs, processed lunch meats, or smoked cheeses. Also, maintain a healthy weight, as being overweight or obese can increase your risk of the disease.
- Quit Smoking: Your risk of stomach cancer doubles if you use tobacco.
- Limit Alcohol: Recent research suggests that the risk of stomach cancer may increase with frequent alcohol consumption.
- Monitor Aspirin or NSAID Use: If you take daily aspirin for heart problems or NSAID drugs for arthritis, talk to your doctor about how these medications might impact your stomach and its cancer risk.
When to See a Doctor?
If you’re experiencing symptoms that concern you, it’s a good idea to schedule a visit with your healthcare provider. Many different health issues can show similar symptoms to stomach cancer, so your provider may check for other possible causes before considering stomach cancer. Don’t hesitate to reach out and get checked if something doesn’t feel right.
