What is stomach cancer?
Stomach cancer occurs when cancerous cells form in the stomach lining.
This type of cancer usually doesn’t cause symptoms until the later stages, so it’s often not diagnosed until it’s more advanced.
While difficult to detect, treatment for stomach cancer is possible through chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery.
Stomach cancer is characterized by a growth of cancerous cells within the lining of the stomach. Also called gastric cancer, this type of cancer is difficult to diagnose because most people typically don’t show symptoms in the earlier stages.
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) estimates there’ll be approximately 28,000 new cases of stomach cancer in 2017. The NCI also estimates that stomach cancer is 1.7 percent of new cancer cases in the United States.
While stomach cancer is relatively rare compared to other types of cancer, one of the biggest dangers of this disease is the difficulty of diagnosing it. Since stomach cancer usually doesn’t cause any early symptoms, it often goes undiagnosed until after it spreads to other parts of the body. This makes it more difficult to treat.
Though stomach cancer can be hard to diagnose and treat, it’s important to get the knowledge you need to beat the disease.
What causes stomach cancer?
Your stomach (along with the esophagus) is just one part of the upper section of your digestive tract. Your stomach is responsible for digesting food and then moving the nutrients along to the rest of your digestive organs, namely the small and large intestines.
Stomach cancer occurs when normally healthy cells within the upper digestive system become cancerous and grow out of control, forming a tumor. This process happens slowly. Stomach cancer tends to develop over many years.
Risk factors of stomach cancer
Stomach cancer is directly linked to tumors in the stomach. However, there are some factors that might increase your risk of developing these cancerous cells. These risk factors include certain diseases and conditions, such as:
lymphoma (a group of blood cancers)
H. pylori bacterial infections (a common stomach infection that can sometimes lead to ulcers)
tumors in other parts of the digestive system
stomach polyps (abnormal growths of tissue that form on the lining of the stomach)
Stomach cancer is also more common among:
older adults, usually people 50 years and older
men
smokers
people with a family history of the disease
people who are of Asian (especially Korean or Japanese), South American, or Belarusian descent
While your personal medical history can impact your risk of developing stomach cancer, certain lifestyle factors can also play a role. You may be more likely to get stomach cancer if you:
eat a lot of salty or processed foods
eat too much meat
have a history of alcohol abuse
don’t exercise
don’t store or cook food properly
You may want to consider getting a screening test if you believe you’re at risk for developing stomach cancer. Screening tests are performed when people are at risk for certain diseases but don’t show symptoms yet.
Symptoms of stomach cancer
According to the NCI, there are typically no early signs or symptoms of stomach cancer. Unfortunately, this means that people often don’t know anything is wrong until the cancer has reached an advanced stage.
Some of the most common symptoms of advanced stomach cancer are:
nausea and vomiting
frequent heartburn
loss of appetite, sometimes accompanied by sudden weight loss
constant bloating
early satiety (feeling full after eating only a small amount)
bloody stools
jaundice
excessive fatigue
stomach pain, which may be worse after meals
How is it diagnosed?
Since people with stomach cancer rarely show symptoms in the early stages, the disease is often not diagnosed until it’s more advanced.
To make a diagnosis, your doctor will first perform a physical exam to check for any abnormalities. They may also order a blood test, including a test for the presence of H. pylori bacteria.
More diagnostic tests will need to be done if your doctor believes that you show signs of stomach cancer. Diagnostic tests specifically look for suspected tumors and other abnormalities in the stomach and esophagus. These tests may include:
an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy
a biopsy
imaging tests, such as CT scans and X-rays
Treating stomach cancer
Traditionally, stomach cancer is treated with one or more of the following:
chemotherapy
radiation therapy
surgery
immunotherapy, such as vaccines and medication
Your exact treatment plan will depend on the origin and stage of the cancer. Age and overall health can also play a role.
Aside from treating cancer cells in the stomach, the goal of treatment is to prevent the cells from spreading. Stomach cancer, when left untreated, may spread to the:
lungs
lymph nodes
bones
liver
Preventing stomach cancer
Stomach cancer alone can’t be prevented. However, you can lower your risk of developing all cancers by:
maintaining a healthy weight
eating a balanced, low-fat diet
quitting smoking
exercising regularly
In some cases, doctors may even prescribe medications that can help lower the risk of stomach cancer. This is usually done for people who have other diseases that may contribute to the cancer.
You may also want to consider getting an early screening test. This test can be helpful in detecting stomach cancer. Your doctor may use one of the following screening tests to check for signs of stomach cancer:
physical exam
lab tests, such as blood and urine tests
imaging procedures, such as X-rays and CT scans
genetic tests
Article Resources
Cancer stat facts: Stomach cancer. (n.d.). http://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/stomach.html
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2017). Stomach cancer: Diagnosis. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/stomach-cancer/diagnosis-treatment/diagnosis/dxc-20202339
Stomach cancer. (2014). https://familydoctor.org/condition/stomach-cancer/?adfree=true
Stomach (gastric) cancer – Patient version. (n.d.). http://www.cancer.gov/types/stomach
What is stomach cancer? (2016). https://www.cancer.org/cancer/stomach-cancer/about/what-is-stomach-cancer.html
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