Stomach Cancer

[Moongirl]

Hi all, just curious about this one. I was talking with my mom last night about my grandmother (her mom) who passed away in her early 60s. She said she had internal bleeding and when they were going to do surgery they found really bad case of stomach cancer and couldnt do much. My mom also said she remembers even back in the day that my grandma had digestion problems....

Im wondering now if it was caused by celiac disease?? My mom and I both have celiac disease and were dx about 5&3 years ago respectively.

Would undx celiac disease cause stomach cancer??

[Moongirl]

Hi all, just curious about this one. I was talking with my mom last night about my grandmother (her mom) who passed away in her early 60s. She said she had internal bleeding and when they were going to do surgery they found really bad case of stomach cancer and couldnt do much. My mom also said she remembers even back in the day that my grandma had digestion problems....

Im wondering now if it was caused by celiac disease?? My mom and I both have celiac disease and were dx about 5&3 years ago respectively.

Would undx celiac disease cause stomach cancer??

.

[moldlady]

Moongirl,

I can't say for sure but if gluten causes irritation and inflammation then definately malabsorption and a weakened immune system can follow. If one is weakened then fungus/candida can take over as it is very opportunistic. Cancer would not be far behind.

It is a logical conclusion that is if she were not exposed to any known chemicals or radiation that we know cause cancer.

ML

[Joni63]

Hi all, just curious about this one. I was talking with my mom last night about my grandmother (her mom) who passed away in her early 60s. She said she had internal bleeding and when they were going to do surgery they found really bad case of stomach cancer and couldnt do much. My mom also said she remembers even back in the day that my grandma had digestion problems....

Im wondering now if it was caused by celiac disease?? My mom and I both have celiac disease and were dx about 5&3 years ago respectively.

Would undx celiac disease cause stomach cancer??

Hi Moongirl,

My grandmother also died in her 60's. She had classic celiac symptoms like chewing ice, stomach pains after eating, bloating, and she was always pale. They finally did an operation on her to find out what was wrong and her intestines were full of cancer. My sister and I (both Celiac) and my mom (probably Celiac, but tests were negative and she won't persue the diet) feel that our grandmom/mom had Celiac and that was the reason she got stomach cancer. It just seems that it had to come from one of the grandparents and my grandfather lived until 93 and had no symptoms of Cealic or eating problems.

I guess we can only guess, but it sure sounds like it to me.

[MELINE]

Hello

Well I've read in the net (but I do not remember the link...) that people with celiac have 4 times more possibility for cancer but that is only for as long as they do not follow the diet. Once they get gluten-free I think the article said that after 5 years they have the same possibility as everyone else. That is why it is SO important to stick on the gluten-free diet. Stomach cancer and lymphoma are definately related to celiac. But that is only if you do not know you are a celiac and you keep on eating gluten after 30 or more years (that is the case of people who are misdiagonsed. I was misdiagnosed for 12 years and my doc needed to get a biopsy to exclude cancer and lymphoma, but he said it was not very very possible with only 12 years)

Hope I helped.

[georgie]

People with Pernicious Anemia have a much higher risk factor for stomach cancer. Its an autoimmune disease and associated with Celiac and other autoimmune diseases. Perhaps your grandma had that as well ?

[Ursa Major]

My grandmother died of stomach cancer when my mother was 20 years old. My mother had all the same symptoms as me, and died of liver cancer when she was 66.

I hope I caught it early enough to not end up like them. I've been gluten-free for two and a half years now, half the time to get my risk down to normal (I had celiac disease symptoms for nearly 50 years, and finally figured out the gluten connection on my own at the age of 52).

[gretchen]

Hello

Well I've read in the net (but I do not remember the link...) that people with celiac have 4 times more possibility for cancer but that is only for as long as they do not follow the diet. Once they get gluten-free I think the article said that after 5 years they have the same possibility as everyone else. That is why it is SO important to stick on the gluten-free diet. Stomach cancer and lymphoma are definately related to celiac. But that is only if you do not know you are a celiac and you keep on eating gluten after 30 or more years (that is the case of people who are misdiagonsed. I was misdiagnosed for 12 years and my doc needed to get a biopsy to exclude cancer and lymphoma, but he said it was not very very possible with only 12 years)

Hope I helped.

So, Meline, I am not sure if you have seen any of my recent posts (I am faily new to the forum). Anyway, my husband was diagnosed with Celiac Disease last November. Actually he was diagnosed for the second time. I found out he was diagnosed at the age of 10 and after being on a gluten free diet for a few years he stopped. Since his diagnosis last Nov...

Did real good for a few months gluten free.

Then, got real sick again, bloating, complaining of gas, vommitting a lot, losing weight, all the same symptoms I read about in this forum.

Just went back to the GI doc today. Doc is testing his blood again for his gluten levels and he has ordered a scope to "check out his belly." This makes me really nervous. He has lost more weight, went from weighing 128 last Jan to 123 this month. I have a fear of him being diagnosed with a stomach cancer as I know those with Celiac Disease have a greater chance of being diagnosed with stomach cancer of other kinds of Lymphoma. Thoughts?

Gretchen

[MELINE]

So, Meline, I am not sure if you have seen any of my recent posts (I am faily new to the forum). Anyway, my husband was diagnosed with Celiac Disease last November. Actually he was diagnosed for the second time. I found out he was diagnosed at the age of 10 and after being on a gluten free diet for a few years he stopped. Since his diagnosis last Nov...

Did real good for a few months gluten free.

Then, got real sick again, bloating, complaining of gas, vommitting a lot, losing weight, all the same symptoms I read about in this forum.

Just went back to the GI doc today. Doc is testing his blood again for his gluten levels and he has ordered a scope to "check out his belly." This makes me really nervous. He has lost more weight, went from weighing 128 last Jan to 123 this month. I have a fear of him being diagnosed with a stomach cancer as I know those with Celiac Disease have a greater chance of being diagnosed with stomach cancer of other kinds of Lymphoma. Thoughts?

Gretchen

well I understand your fears about cancer and it is logical since there is actually a bigger risk for a celiac but it is not so often when you are young. In the article I've read that there is a possibility (just a possibility) if you are over 50 and if you are misdiagnosed for 30 or more years. .......I don't know your husbands age, but any way it is just a possibility. If you check the net it will probably scare you cause the symptoms of stomach cancer are so similar with the ones of celiac (and the one of your husband), but listen....My symptoms too were so much like cancer that I went crying to my doc....I had nausea, I lost 5 kilos (I am sorry I don't know what kind of measuring you use to find your weight....we use kilos....), I was extremely tired, had extremely severe abdominal pain AND I had blood when visiting the toilet.......and it was nothing.....it was all because of celiac. I had a colonoscopy and a gastroscopy and they were clear.

So what I am trying to say here is that of course you need to have an image of your husbands stomach and intestine but it is not so so possible that there is a serious problem.

Let us know when you have the results (I am sure everyhting will be just fine)

Meline

[lovegrov]

I don't have statistics handy and I certainly don't intend to minimize the health consequences of untreated celiac (I was EXTREMELY ill when diagnosed; so ill I missed 10 weeks of work), but we should remember that even though our chances of certain types of cancer are increased, the chances are still very tiny. It's something to be aware of, but not something to get an ulcer worrying about.

richard

[AliB]

So, Meline, I am not sure if you have seen any of my recent posts (I am faily new to the forum). Anyway, my husband was diagnosed with Celiac Disease last November. Actually he was diagnosed for the second time. I found out he was diagnosed at the age of 10 and after being on a gluten free diet for a few years he stopped. Since his diagnosis last Nov...

Did real good for a few months gluten free.

Then, got real sick again, bloating, complaining of gas, vommitting a lot, losing weight, all the same symptoms I read about in this forum.

Just went back to the GI doc today. Doc is testing his blood again for his gluten levels and he has ordered a scope to "check out his belly." This makes me really nervous. He has lost more weight, went from weighing 128 last Jan to 123 this month. I have a fear of him being diagnosed with a stomach cancer as I know those with Celiac Disease have a greater chance of being diagnosed with stomach cancer of other kinds of Lymphoma. Thoughts?

Gretchen

Hi Gretchen.

Just out of interest I have noticed this same situation happening quite regularly. There are often posts from people who have recovered somewhat after stopping Gluten, only to go backwards again after a short while.

It would be good to get it checked out, but it might also be worth considering that your husband may actually, like me, be intolerant of carbohydrates in general. What happens is that when gluten has to be removed from the diet, we then start to replace the gluten-based carbs with lots of other carbs. Over time we then become intolerant of some or all of those carbs too. I have found too that gluten-free carb foods often tend to be very high in sugar and that can encourage yeast/Candida problems which can also cause similar symptoms. Has your husband been taking any supplements? Malabsorption and deficiencies are real problems for those with gut damage and can also cause problems.

I realised fairly quickly that my problem was more than just gluten, so I dropped not just the gluten but dairy and most carbs and sugar and took some good supplements. I have been concentrating on eating very simply - just sticking to 100% unprocessed or adulterated meat, fish and poultry, fresh vegetables and fruits and a little honey. After 2 months my gut is starting to heal and I can now tolerate a few foods that I couldn't before, like eggs.

Some follow the Paleo-type diet, I have been following the Specific Carbohydrate Diet which seems to have good results especially for those with stomach-related problems, but is useful for other things too. By eating simply we are less likely to tax the digestion which makes recovery easier and is less of a load on the liver.

I hope for your sakes that it doesn't turn out to be anything worse than another intolerance or yeast overgrowth. Apparently, once the diet is worked out and followed properly, the incidence of Cancer is no higher in a Celiac than in anyone else.