Omentum Cancer: Types, Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment

Creator: Dr. Lalam Yadhidhya Rani
Published: 2023-03-20T17:17:12

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Omentum cancer is rare cancer that occurs in the outer covering of the abdominal organs. Continue reading below to know more.

Written by

Dr. Lalam Yadhidhya Rani

Medically reviewed by

Dr. Rajesh Gulati

March 20, 2023

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Contents

What Is Omentum Cancer?
What Are the Types of Omentum Cancer?
What Are the Causes of Omentum Cancer?
What Are the Symptoms of Omentum Cancer?
What Are the Complications of Omentum Cancer?
What Is the Diagnosis of Omentum Cancer?
What Are the Treatment Options for Omentum Cancer?
How Is the Risk of Omentum Cancer Reduced?

Introduction

Omentum is a tissue that begins from the stomach and wraps around the intestines. Omentum cancer is a rare form of cancer that is treated depending on the severity of cancer. However, late diagnosis of cancer causes poor prognosis of the disease. Therefore, consulting a physician during early symptoms is advised to obtain better treatment results.

What Is Omentum?

Omentum is a tissue connecting the stomach with other organs in the abdomen. Omentum can be called a police officer of the abdomen as it covers all the abdominal structures. There are two omentums -

Greater omentum is the largest omentum attached to the stomach and intestine. It protects organs from the affected organ.
Lesser omentum is the smallest omentum attached to the stomach and liver.

What Is Omentum Cancer?

Omentum cancer is cancer of the fatty tissue surrounding the organs in the abdomen. In rare conditions, the cancer cells of the omentum turn into omentum tumors.

What Are the Types of Omentum Cancer?

Cancer cells of the omentum grow rapidly to form tumors. These tumors are of two types.

Primary Omental Tumors - Omental tumors arising from the omentum are called primary omental tumors.
Metastatic Tumors - Tumors formed elsewhere that relocate to the omentum are called metastatic tumors. For example, ovarian or stomach cancer (cancers from the ovary and stomach entering the omentum).

A few other omental tumors are listed below -

Spindle Cell Sarcoma is cancer that begins in the bone or soft tissue. It is a rare tumor.
Leiomyoma is a smooth muscle cancer that affects organs like the uterus, gallbladder, stomach, small intestines, and so on.
Desmoid Tumor - Connective tissue tumors occurring mostly in the abdomen and legs. They are tumors showing very severe effects and do not spread to other parts.
Leiomyoma is a rare smooth muscle tissue cancer that can occur anywhere in the body.
Leiomyosarcoma is a rare tumor originating in the digestive tract (gastrointestinal tract), muscle cells, genitourinary tract, and retroperitoneum.
Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors (GIST) - Mostly arise from the wall of the gastrointestinal tract. They rarely arise from the omentum and are termed different gastrointestinal stromal tumors.
Liposarcomas - Liposarcomas arise from the deeper soft tissue and are very common.

What Are the Causes of Omentum Cancer?

The exact causes of mental cancer are still unknown. However, below are a few risk factors causing omentum cancer.

Age: An increase in age shows an increased risk of mental cancer.
Environment: Exposure to certain harmful cancers also increases cancer risk.
Genetics: The risk for cancer occurrence is more.
Lifestyle: The habit of alcohol consumption and a sedentary lifestyle can be risk factors for cancer.
Family History: The risk of developing cancer increases when one family member has cancer.

Who Is Affected Due to Omentum Cancer?

Omentum cancer is likely to occur in adults above the age of 50 years. Few tumors are commonly present in men rather than women.

What Are the Symptoms of Omentum Cancer?

The following are the symptoms of omentum cancer -

The majority of patients have abdominal discomfort.
Nausea.
Weight loss.
Growth of mass in the abdomen area.
Abdominal pain.
Constipation.
Lack of appetite.
Fever.
Vomiting.

What Are the Complications of Omentum Cancer?

Following are certain complications of omental cancer -

Intra-Abdominal Rupture - There is a chance for the tumor to burst in the abdominal cavity, which paves the way for spreading the cancer cells to other locations.
Ascites - A fluid collection in the abdomen is known as ascites. It is lethal when it is not treated.

What Is the Diagnosis of Omentum Cancer?

The following can diagnose omentum cancer -

Ultrasound - Using sound waves to determine the internal structures of the abdomen is easily done by ultrasound.
Computed Tomography Scan - The defective part and the extent of the disease is identified on a CT scan.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging is a diagnostic method that uses a magnetic field to visualize the defective region.
Contrast-Enhanced Computed Tomography (CECT) Of the Abdomen - Lopamidol is a material that produces better images than a CT scan. It produces a three-dimensional view of the internal structures.
Immunohistochemistry is a diagnostic tool used to differentiate between certain types of omental tumors like sarcoma and adenocarcinoma.

What Are the Treatment Options for Omentum Cancer?

Radical Resection of the Tumor - GIST tumors are treated by radical resection of the tumor. Only the part of the omentum that is affected is removed. The chances of recurrence are, however, high.
Complete Resection of Tumor - The tumor and a part of the omentum are removed to avoid cancer recurrences.
Locoregional Treatment Strategy - Certain treatment strategies implemented to treat the tumor in the region in which it is present are called locoregional treatment strategies. One such treatment is Cyto reductive surgery.
Cytoreductive Surgery - It is a procedure in which the visible tumors of the omentum are removed surgically, and any cancer cells left out are killed using high-dose chemotherapy with increased temperature administered locally to the specific region.
Chemotherapy - Anti-cancer drug therapy includes high-dosage medication to treat cancer.
Radiotherapy - Most cancers are treated using radiation therapy. Radiation oncologists are involved in treating certain progressive omentum cancers.
Adjuvant Therapy - Therapy given to improve the outcome of the surgical procedure is known as adjuvant therapy. Imatinib is a drug that is used in adjuvant chemotherapy.

What Are the Other Tumors Similar to Omentum Tumors?

Certain tumors are similar to omental tumors and can be differentiated with specialized diagnostic methods. Tumors that appear similar to omental cancers include -

Liposarcoma.
Fibrosarcoma.
Myosarcoma.
Rhabdomyosarcoma.
Endothelioma.

What Is the Prognosis of Omentum Cancer?

The prognosis of overall omentum cancer can be considered worse than predicted. Since omentum cancer rarely occurs, this cancer is still in research. However, many cancers are completely cured with advancements in technology.

How Is the Risk of Omentum Cancer Reduced?

Cancer; as such cannot be prevented. Still, the risks of developing cancer can be prevented by eliminating certain risk factors like-

Maintaining weight according to the person's age.
Consuming a nutritious diet.
Regular exercise.
Lifestyle modifications include quitting certain habits like smoking and alcohol consumption.

Conclusion

Omental tumors are rarely occurring lethal tumors. As the prognosis of mental cancer is poor, certain management protocols must be followed to prevent the risk of developing this cancer. Early steps in cancer prevention are obtained by consulting an experienced oncologist, a gastroenterologist, and a general physician.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What Is the Survival Rate of Those Living With Omentum Cancer?

Benign (noncancerous) omentum cancers have a long-term survival rate following surgical resection. In one study, patients with benign omentum cancer showed a five-year survival rate of 75 percent. The prognosis of omentum cancer is influenced by the size and stage of the tumor. Early diagnosis of the condition has a good prognosis. Only ten to 20 percent of patients live for two years following surgical excision. Those with primary malignant omental tumors have a median survival time of about six months.

2. Is Cancer in the Omentum Worse?

Cancers that originate in the omentum (primary omentum cancer) are extremely rare. Studies have reported only 42 cases. Omentum tumors are usually aggressive, which means that they can recur even after treatment. However, early diagnosis of the condition has a good prognosis. Small tumors have less chance of relapse. The prognosis of omentum cancer is influenced by the size and stage of the tumor.

3. At What Stage Is Omentum Cancer Curable?

Whether or not omentum cancer can be cured is determined by the size and stage of the tumor. In stages one, two, and three of cancer, the cancer cells are localized and are present in one part of the body. In stage four, the cancer spreads to other parts of the body, which makes recovery difficult. Early diagnosis of the condition has a good prognosis, and small tumors have less chance of relapse.

4. Is It Possible to Treat Cancer in the Omentum?

Complete surgical excision of the cancerous cells is the most preferred treatment method for omentum cancer. Removal of small or localized omentum tumors may possibly cure the condition, but cancer that has metastasized (spread) to distant body parts requires as much removal of the cancerous cells as possible to achieve a good prognosis. Early diagnosis and treatment of the condition have a good prognosis.

5. Are Omentum and Ovarian Cancers the Same?

The omentum is a layer of fatty tissue that envelops the contents of the abdomen, while ovaries are a part of the female reproductive system. However, cancer in the ovaries can metastasize (spread) to the omentum. In the late stages of stage three ovarian cancer, or when cancer makes a transition to stage four, cancerous cells spread to the peritoneum situated outside the pelvis, like the omentum.

6. How Does Omentum Pain Feel Like?

The cause of abdominal pain can rarely be due to omental torsion. In such cases, there is a sudden onset of pain, usually in the right iliac fossa, and at times can be accompanied by low-grade fever, nausea, and vomiting. Pain in the omentum may be localized to the umbilicus and can spread (radiate) to the lumbar and the surrounding areas.

7. Is Chemotherapy Effective for Omentum Cancer?

Since primary omental tumors are rare, adequate assessment of adjuvant therapy is hindered. However, some reports suggest that chemotherapy can be beneficial in the treatment of omentum cancer. Based on the tumor type, radiation therapy and perioperative hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) can also be done. In HIPEC, the chemotherapy drugs are heated and placed in the abdomen, which is then allowed to circulate for a short duration.

8. How to Know if Death Is Near With Omentum Cancer?

The severity of omentum cancer is determined by the stage and size of the tumor. Primary omental tumors are rare, and more often, cancers from other parts of the body, especially from the ovaries, can spread to the omentum. Omentum comprises energy cells that can cause these cancer cells to proliferate more quickly. Common symptoms of omentum cancer include unexplained weight loss, abdominal pain, constipation, poor appetite, swollen abdomen, nausea, and vomiting. If not treated, the symptoms may aggravate and can be fatal.

9. What Food Is Not Ideal for Omentum Cancer?

The following foods should be avoided:
- Red and processed meats.
- Sugar-sweetened foods and beverages.
- Alcohol.
- Highly refined grains.
- Food additives.

10. Can One See Omentum on a CT Scan?

On a computed tomography (CT) scan, the greater omentum appears like a band of fatty tissue with variable width just below the anterior abdominal wall and in front of the stomach, small bowel, and transverse colon. Omental pathology in a CT scan depends on the duration and extent of disease involvement. The early omental disease appears as a permeated or smudged appearance of the omental fat.

11. Is Omentum Cancer Painful?

A majority of people do not have any symptoms of omentum cancer. A few may observe a new, small mass in the abdomen. The mass can be painless or can be tender to the touch. Other symptoms include:
- Unexplained weight loss.
- Abdominal pain.
- Constipation.
- Poor appetite.
- Swollen or distended abdomen.
- Nausea or vomiting.

12. Does Omentum Cancer Spread Rapidly?

The omentum is a layer of fatty tissue that envelops the contents of the abdomen. Primary omental tumors are rare, and more often, cancers from other parts of the body, especially from the ovaries, can spread to the omentum. Omentum comprises energy cells that can cause these cancer cells to proliferate more quickly.

Sources

Dr. Rajesh Gulati

Family Physician

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