Stomach Cancer

Stomach cancer mostly affects older people – two-thirds of people who have it are over age 65. Your risk of getting it is also higher if you

Have had a Helicobacter pylori infection
Have had stomach inflammation
Are a man
Eat lots of salted, smoked, or pickled foods
Smoke cigarettes
Have a family history of stomach cancer

It is hard to diagnose stomach cancer in its early stages. Indigestion and stomach discomfort can be symptoms of early cancer, but other problems can cause the same symptoms. In advanced cases, there may be blood in your stool, vomiting, unexplained weight loss, jaundice or trouble swallowing.

Because it is often found late, it can be hard to treat stomach cancer. Treatment options include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation or a combination.

National Cancer Institute

Stomach Cancer on Wikipedia

In medicine, '''stomach cancer''' (also called '''gastric cancer''') can develop in any part of the stomach and may spread throughout the stomach and to other organs. The cancer may grow along the stomach wall into the esophagus or small intestine. It also may extend through the stomach wall and spread to nearby lymph nodes and to organs such as the liver, pancreas, and Colon (anatomy). Stomach cancer also may spread to distant organs, such as the lungs, the lymph nodes above the collar bone, and the When cancer spreads to another part of the body, the new tumor has the same kind of abnormal cells and the same name as the primary tumor. For example, if stomach cancer spreads to the liver, the cancer cells in the liver are stomach cancer cells and the disease is metastatic stomach cancer, not liver cancer. A well known complication of stomach cancer is when it spreads to an ovary; the tumor in the ovary is called a '''Krukenberg tumor'''. This tumor, named for the doctor who first described it, is not a different disease; it is metastatic stomach cancer - the cancer cells in a Krukenberg tumor are stomach cancer cells, the same as the cancer cells in the primary tumor.

Epidemiology

Stomach cancer is more prevalent in China, Japan, Korea, and other countries in Asia and South America, than in the United States.

Symptoms

Stomach cancer can be hard to find early. Often there are no symptoms in the early stages and, in many cases, the cancer has spread before it is found. When symptoms do occur, they are often so vague that the person ignores them. Stomach cancer can cause the following: *Indigestion or a burning sensation (heartburn); *Discomfort or pain in the abdomen; *Nausea and vomiting; *Diarrhea or constipation; *Bloating of the stomach after meals; *Loss of appetite; *Weakness and fatigue ... [ Read More ]

External Resources

CancerLinksUSA: Stomach Cancer - Offers information about the condition.

Cancer Group Institute: Stomach Cancer - Provides summary information in a fact sheet format.

Mamas Health: Stomach Cancer - Summarizes areas of information related to the disease including types, progression and treatment.

Imperial Cancer Research Fund: Stomach Cancer - UK charity offers information including prevention, diagnosis and treatment. Also provides details on fundraising.

University of Chicago: Stomach Cancer - Discussion of the condition aimed at both the lay and professional levels.

Cancer.gov: Stomach Cancer - Comprehensive information from this U.S. National Cancer Institute resource.

MEDLINEplus: Stomach Cancer - Links about the condition from the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

CancerBACUP: Stomach Cancer - Online booklet from this UK organization covering such topics as symptoms, diagnosis and treatment.

CancerAnswers.com: Stomach Cancer - Oriented to traditional and alternative treatment approaches.

University of Kansas: Stomach Cancer - Links to related resources.

Related Pages on HealthTales.com: