Stomach cancer, also called gastric cancer , is an uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the stomach’s inner lining. Most people diagnosed with stomach cancer are over age 60. The disease rarely occurs before age 50.
Several factors may increase the risk of developing stomach cancer. They include a family history of the disease, excessive consumption of alcohol , and tobacco use. Previous infection with Helicobacter pylori, a common bacterium that can live in the stomach, is also associated with an increased risk. Irritation of the stomach or esophagus (tube leading to the stomach) can also raise the risk. People who have had stomach surgery are more likely to develop stomach cancer. A diet rich in salted or smoked foods may also raise the risk of the disease. For example, stomach cancer ranks as one of the most common types of cancer in Japan . Medical experts believe that this results from the Japanese diet, which includes many smoked and salted foods.
Symptoms of stomach cancer include bloating after meals, nausea , and loss of appetite. The person may experience repeated indigestion or heartburn , diarrhea or constipation and sudden weight loss. Additional symptoms include fatigue , blood in the stool or vomit, and black, tarry stools. In its early stages, stomach cancer causes few or no symptoms. This fact complicates treatment, because the chances of success are highest if the disease is caught in its early stages. By the time symptoms develop, the disease is often more advanced. At these later stages, the chances of successful treatment are poor.
Doctors who suspect stomach cancer may examine the inside of the stomach with an instrument called an endoscope , or gastroscope . If an abnormality is detected, the doctor may perform a biopsy . This procedure involves removing small bits of stomach tissue to be examined for cancer cells in a laboratory. The doctor may also conduct a biopsy of the esophagus, as some stomach cancers can extend into the esophagus. Stomach cancer cannot be confirmed without a biopsy.
The most common treatments for stomach cancer include surgery, chemotherapy (drugs that kill cancer cells), and radiation therapy. Surgery offers the only cure for the disease. In surgery, doctors remove all or part of the stomach. Nearby masses of tissue called lymph nodes may also be removed. Doctors can analyze the lymph nodes to see if cancer cells have invaded them, possibly spreading to other parts of the body. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy cannot cure the cancer. But they can relieve its symptoms and slow the progress of the disease. During treatment, the patient must continue eating healthy meals to maintain strength. Digestion may be impaired if a large portion of the stomach has been removed. Patients with such impairment may need to take vitamin supplements.
Chances of recovery are greatest if the disease is found before cancer cells have spread to the stomach’s other tissue layers or outside the stomach. About half of all people diagnosed with early stage stomach cancer will live five years or longer. However, relatively few stomach cancers are diagnosed in the earliest stages. Only about 20 percent of stomach cancer patients survive five years or longer.
