Gastric cancer and colon cancer are two different types of colorectal cancers. The gastrointestinal tract is a 25-foot-long pathway that extends from the mouth to the anus. A tumor that forms in one of these organs is known as gastrointestinal tract cancer. Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers are the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the digestive tract and other abdominal organs. There are several types of GI cancers, such as cancer of the esophagus, stomach, pancreas, small bowel, colon, rectum, and anus.
The key difference between gastric cancer and colon cancer is the organs they affect. Gastric cancer begins at the stomach, while colon cancer begins at the part of the large intestine.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Gastric Cancer
3. What is Colon Cancer
4. Similarities – Gastric Cancer and Colon Cancer
5. Gastric Cancer vs Colon Cancer in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Gastric Cancer vs Colon Cancer
7. FAQ – Gastric Cancer and Colon Cancer
What is Gastric Cancer?
Gastric cancer or stomach cancer usually begins in the inner lining of the stomach. Stomach cancer begins when there is a genetic mutation in the DNA of stomach cells. The risk factors include being over 65 years of age, sex (males affected more), East Asian, South or Central American or Eastern European descent, family history, Helicobacter pylori infection, having gastritis, Epstein Barr virus infection, stomach ulcers, and diet (consuming less of vegetables or fruits and more of fatty, salty or smoked foods). The typical symptoms of gastric cancer are loss of appetite, trouble swallowing, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, unexplained weight loss, heartburn, black stool, bloating, stomach pain, and feeling full after eating a small meal.
Gastric cancer can be diagnosed through upper endoscopy, endoscopic ultrasound, CT scan, MRI, X-ray, PET scan, blood test, and laparoscopy. Furthermore, gastric cancer is treated through surgeries like endoscopic submucosal dissection, gastrectomy, chemotherapy, radiation, targeted drug therapy, immunotherapy, and palliative care.
What is Colon Cancer?
Colon cancer is the growth of cells in a part of the large intestine called the colon. Colon cancer occurs when cells in the colon develop changes in their DNA. The risk factors for this condition include older age, black race, a personal history of colon cancer, inflammatory bowel diseases, inherited diseases, family history, low fiber, high-fat diet, not exercising regularly, diabetes, obesity, smoking, drinking alcohol, and radiation therapy for cancer. Moreover, symptoms of colon cancer are changes in bowel habits, rectal bleeding, ongoing discomfort in the belly area, a feeling that the bowel does not empty, weakness, and loss of weight without trying.
Colon cancer can be diagnosed through colonoscopy, biopsy, and blood test. Furthermore, colon cancer is treated through surgeries like polypectomy, endoscopic mucosal resection, laparoscopic surgery, partial colectomy, surgery to create a way for waste to leave the body, lymph node removal, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and palliative care.
Similarities Between Gastric Cancer and Colon Cancer
- Gastric cancer and colon cancer are two different types of colorectal cancers.
- Both cancers are due to DNA changes in the cells.
- These conditions can result in similar symptoms such as pain, fatigue, unintended weight loss, etc.
- Both conditions can be diagnosed through imaging tests and blood tests.
- They can be treated with specific surgeries, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, and palliative therapy.
Difference Between Gastric Cancer and Colon Cancer
Definition
- Gastric cancer is a type of cancer that begins in the inner lining of the stomach.
- Colon cancer is a type of cancer that begins in the colon.
Causes
- Gastric cancer is caused by changes of DNA in the cells of the stomach.
- Colon cancer is caused by changes of DNA in the cells of the colon.
Risk Factors
- Risk factors for gastric cancer include being over 65 years of age, sex (males affected more), Ethnicity (East Asian, South or Central American or Eastern European descent), family history, Helicobacter pylori infection, having gastritis, Epstein Barr virus infection, stomach ulcers, and diet which is less of vegetables or fruits and more of fatty, salty or smoked foods).
- Risk factors for colon cancer include older age (over 50 years), black race, a personal history of colon cancer, inflammatory bowel diseases, inherited diseases, family history, low fiber high fat diet, not exercising regularly, diabetes, obesity, smoking, drinking alcohol and previous radiation therapy for cancer.
Symptoms
- Symptoms of gastric cancer include trouble swallowing, belly pain, feeling bloated, feeling full after eating, heartburn, indigestion, nausea, vomiting, losing weight without trying, feeling very tired and stools that look black.
- Symptoms of colon cancer include blood in the feces, persistent change in the bowel habits, abdominal pain, bloated stomach, unexplained weight loss, vomiting, fatigue and shortness of breath.
Diagnosis
- Gastric cancer can be diagnosed by blood test, stomach ultrasound, CT scan, and PET scan.
- Colon cancer can be diagnosed by fecal immunochemical test, guaiac-based fecal occult blood test, fecal DNA test, flexible sigmoidoscopy, and virtual colonoscopy.
Treatment
- Gastric cancer can be treated by removing small cancers from the stomach lining, subtotal or total gastrectomy, Removing lymph nodes, surgery to relieve symptoms, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and palliative care.
- Colon cancer can be treated by polypectomy, a partial colectomy, colostomy, radiofrequency ablation, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy.
The following table summarizes the difference between gastric cancer and colon cancer.
Summary – Gastric Cancer vs Colon Cancer
Gastric cancer and colon cancer are two different types of colorectal cancers. Colon cancer develops when tumor cells begin to grow somewhere in the part of the large intestine known as the colon, while stomach cancer develops when tumor cells begin to grow somewhere in the five layers that form the stomach lining. This is the summary of the difference between gastric cancer and colon cancer.
FAQ: Gastric Cancer and Colon Cancer
1. What are the types of gastrointestinal cancers?
- Gastrointestinal cancers occur in the parts of the gastrointestinal tract. There are several types of gastrointestinal cancers, such as esophageal cancer, gastric cancer, gallbladder cancer, liver cancer, pancreatic cancer, anal cancer, colon cancer, and rectal cancer.
2. What are the main symptoms of stomach cancer?
- The symptoms may include unexplained weight loss, severe abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, vomiting blood, tarry stool, and difficulty or painful swallowing.
3. What is the survival rate of stomach cancer?
- The 5-year survival rate for stomach cancer may be as low as 6% to high as 70%. Speak with your doctor for a more accurate assessment of your prognosis. Treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy may increase the survival rate.
4. Where do people feel colon pain in colon cancer?
- People may feel a sudden cramp , particularly on the lower left side abdomen. They may also experience abdominal pain and severe spasms. The symptoms may include trouble swallowing, feeling full and bloated, heartburn, indigestion, nausea, vomiting, unintended weight loss, fatigue and black stool.
5. Can colon cancer be cured?
- Cancer of the colon is highly treatable, and surgery is the primary form of treatment. These surgeries include polypectomy, partial colectomy, colostomy, and radiofrequency ablation. Other treatments are chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy.
Reference:
1. “Stomach Cancer.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.
2. “Colon Cancer (Colorectal Cancer).” Cleveland Clinic.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Depiction of a stomach cancer patient” By Myupchar.com (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Colon cancer – Stage I Stage II Stage III — Smart-Servier” By Laboratoires Servier – (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
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