Stomach cancer, also known as gastric cancer, is the accumulation of an abnormal (malignant, cancerous) group of cells that form a tumor in any parts of the stomach - in most case, it refers to cancer that starts off in the mucus-producing cells on the lining of the inside of the stomach [adenocarcinoma].
According to WHO (World Health Organization) 800,000 cancer-related deaths are caused by stomach cancer each year globally. It is the fourth most common cancer worldwide, but the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the world.
Gastric cancer is more common among males, and people in developing nations compared to industrialized countries, the exception being Japan and South Korea, where the disease is much more common than in the USA, Canada or Europe.
Causes of Stomach Cancer
As with most cancers, researchers do not know yet what causes stomach cancer. Several risk factor have been identified, however. These include:
- alcohol use
- cigarette smoking
- diets high in foods that are preserved by drying, smoking, salting, or pickling
- diet low in vegetables and fruits
- exposure to chemicals used in rubber and lead manufacturing
- family history of stomach cancer
- gastric atrophy
- history of Helicobacter pylori infection
- being older than 50 years of age
- previous stomach surgery
Symptoms of Stomach Cancer
A symptom is something the patient feels and describes, such as a stomachache, while a sing is something others, including doctors and nurses can detect, such as a rash. There are several symptoms associated with stomach cancer. However, as they also exist in many other much less serious conditions and illnesses, gastric cancer may be difficult to recognized initially. That is why so many patients are not diagnosed until the disease is already advanced.
Some of the early stomach cancer symptoms may include:
- A sensation of being very full (and rapidly full) during meals
- Dysphagia ( swallowing difficulties)
- Feeling bloated after meals
- Frequent burping
- Heartburn
- Indigestion that does not go away
- Stomachache, or pain in the sternum (breastbone)
- Trapped wind
- Vomiting
Risk Factors
A risk factor is a condition, disease, lifestyle, or situation which increases the risk of developing a disease of conditions. For example, a risk factor for type 2 diabetes is being obese, i.e. obese people have a higher risk of developing diabetes.
The risk factors include:
Smoking: According to the UK's National Health Service, regular long-term smokers have one-and-a-half times the risk of developing stomach cancer compared to lifetime non-smokers
Family history: Having a close relative who has or had stomach cancer. In about 2 percent of stomach cancer cases, patients share a genetic mutation in the E-cadherin gene. People with blood type A also have a higher risk - we inherit our blood type one of our parents.
Diet: People who regularly eat salted fish, salty foods, smoked meats, and pickled vegetables have a higher risk of developing gastric cancer. In Japan and South Korea such food are popular. The World Cancer Research Fund reported that if people in the UK reduced their salt intake to the recommended daily amount, 1 in every 7 stomach cancer cases could be prevented.