Linitis Plastica Symptoms, Causes, Radiology, Survival rate
It is basically a type of cancer in stomach. Linitis plastica is the type of adenocarcinoma. Adenocarcinoma is seen abundantly in many patients having stomach cancer, but linitis plastica is rarely occurring cancer. In linitis plastica, the walls of the stomach becomes rigid and thick because this cancer occurs in the stomach muscles in walls. The muscles are not able to move when food enters the stomach and not even stretch and contract properly. That is why this is also called as “a leather bottle stomach”. It as a fast growing caner that it can spread beyond the stomach walls.
The signs and symptoms of linitis plastica are not identified. Symptoms occurring in linitis plastica are almost the same as occurring in other types of cancer. Symptoms reported are as follows:
Linitis plastica can be caused by many factors as due to the carcinoma (cancerous cells) of lungs and breast particularly in women.
In linitis plastica radiology, the techniques used are x-ray, ultrasound and computed tomography.
In x-ray imaging the gross image of stomach is obtained which shows the shape and severity of disease. The radiographic findings are as follows:
Linitis plastica is a fatal disease which involves the cells of stomach mucosal lining Linitis plastica grows rapidly and it is difficult to control it. Various studies regarding prognosis of this disease shows only 3 to 10% survival rate within five years. Sometimes the linitis plastica is not curable with gastrectomy and patients are on chemotherapy. But chemotherapy only reduces the occurrence of symptoms not cure the condition. So, as a result, the patient is not able to survive anymore because the disease keep on increasing inside patient. Even after successful gastrectomy patient may not accept the organ implanted and died.
Linitis Plastica Symptoms
The signs and symptoms of linitis plastica are not identified. Symptoms occurring in linitis plastica are almost the same as occurring in other types of cancer. Symptoms reported are as follows:
- Patient feels nausea and vomiting
- Weight loss occurs day by day because patient could not eat and drink properly
- There may be pain in upper portion of stomach known as Epigastric pain
- Satiety may occur i.e. the patient may feel full without eating anything.
- Dysphagia (a condition in which patient face difficulty in swallowing or drinking anything) may appear to be increasing with this condition.
Linitis Plastica Causes
Linitis plastica can be caused by many factors as due to the carcinoma (cancerous cells) of lungs and breast particularly in women.
- It is not caused with infection of helicobacter pylori and chronic gastric problems.
- Another cause of linitis plastica may be infiltration of food along with metals entered in stomach
- Can be caused by swallowing metal hydroxide and a strong alkali which is highly soluble in water.
- The cause of linitis plastica can be mutation in inherited material and this mutation is in E-cadherin, which is the major cause associated with other types of carcinomas.
Linitis Plastica Radiology
In linitis plastica radiology, the techniques used are x-ray, ultrasound and computed tomography.
In x-ray imaging the gross image of stomach is obtained which shows the shape and severity of disease. The radiographic findings are as follows:
- CT scan shows images of stomach that are uniform looking and having thick walls with no presence of rugal folds.
- Ulcers are visible in radiography
- Nodules appear on mucosal membrane of stomach.
- Ultrasound of stomach shows narrowing of stomach lining and rigid structure. Ultrasound also shows the flattened mucosal folds of stomach which occurs due to infiltration of metals.
Linitis Plastica Survvial Rate
Linitis plastica is a fatal disease which involves the cells of stomach mucosal lining Linitis plastica grows rapidly and it is difficult to control it. Various studies regarding prognosis of this disease shows only 3 to 10% survival rate within five years. Sometimes the linitis plastica is not curable with gastrectomy and patients are on chemotherapy. But chemotherapy only reduces the occurrence of symptoms not cure the condition. So, as a result, the patient is not able to survive anymore because the disease keep on increasing inside patient. Even after successful gastrectomy patient may not accept the organ implanted and died.
Linitis Plastica Symptoms, Causes, Radiology, Survival rate
Reviewed by Simon Albert
on
March 30, 2017
Rating:
Reviewed by Simon Albert
on
March 30, 2017
Rating:
