Dumping syndrome after gastric cancer surgery and health care methods

Gastric cancer originates from the mucosal epithelial cells on the surface of the stomach wall and occurs in various parts of the stomach, such as the pyloric area of ​​the antrum, the cardia area of ​​the fundus, and the body of the stomach. It can invade the stomach wall to different depths and widths. Most patients are treated with surgical resection.

Dumping syndrome after gastric cancer surgery is caused by the fact that the stomach capacity of patients becomes smaller after gastrectomy, which shortens the time that food stays in the stomach, and the food is not gradually transported to the intestine after being fully digested, but is quickly transported to the intestine. In order to digest and absorb a large amount of food as quickly as possible, the intestine must secrete a large amount of digestive juice. In particular, carbohydrates as staple foods can be quickly absorbed in the intestine, and the body will experience a phenomenon of increased blood sugar.

Patients may experience sweating, palpitations, nausea, numbness, facial flushing, general fatigue, bowel sounds, abdominal pain, etc. 30 minutes after eating. Other patients may experience cold sweats, dizziness, and impaired consciousness 2-3 hours after eating. This is a characteristic of late dumping syndrome. The mechanism is that due to the increase in blood sugar, the body will secrete a large amount of insulin, which in turn causes a sharp drop in blood sugar levels.

To prevent gastric cancer dumping syndrome, patients should try to do the following: eat small meals frequently, avoid overeating, control food intake, and avoid consuming too much sugar.