Definition
Stomach cancer (also known as gastric cancer) is a disease in which the cells forming the inner lining of the stomach become abnormal and start to divide uncontrollably, forming a mass called a tumor. Worldwide, stomach cancer is the second most frequent cancer and the second leading cause of death from cancer. It can develop in any part of the stomach and spread to other organs. It is also known as gastric cancer.
Duodenal ulcers (peptic ulcers) are not associated with stomach cancer. However, infection with a bacterium called Helicobacter pylori is associated with gastric cancer. In one study, gastric cancer developed in about 3% of the infected patients and none of the uninfected patients. Eradication of the bacterium prevents or delays the development of gastric cancer. The risk of gastric cancer is also increased in Down syndrome.
Symptoms of stomach cancer are often vague, such as loss of appetite and weight, so diagnosis is often delayed. The cancer is diagnosed definitively with a biopsy of stomach tissue.
Cancer of the stomach is difficult to cure unless it is found early. Treatment may include surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Surgery is the most common treatment. It involves removal of part (subtotal or partial gastrectomy) or all (total gastrectomy) of the stomach.
Description
The stomach is a J-shaped organ that lies in the left and central portion of the abdomen. The stomach produces many digestive juices and acids that mix with food and aid in the process of digestion. There are five regions of the stomach that doctors refer to when determining the origin of stomach cancer. These are:
1. the cardia, area surrounding the cardiac sphincter which controls movement of food from the esophagus into the stomach,
2. the fundus, upper expanded area adjacent to the cardiac region,
3. the antrum, lower region of the stomach where it begins to narrow,
4. the prepyloric, region just before or nearest the pylorus,
5. the pylorus, the terminal region where the stomach joins the small intestine.
Stomach cancer, also called gastric cancer, is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the lining of the stomach. The disease usually does not cause any symptoms until the later stages, and usually, by the time stomach cancer is diagnosed, the prognosis is poor. Most people who are diagnosed with stomach cancer are over the age of 60. The disease rarely occurs before age 50, and it is more common in men than women.
Stomach cancer is a major cause of cancer deaths worldwide and is much more common outside the United States. The number of people who develop stomach cancer is particularly high in Japan, Chile, Costa Rica, Hungary and Poland. It is the leading cause of cancer death in many of these countries. In the United States, the number of cases of stomach cancer diagnosed every year has fallen 75% since 1930. The decline may be due in part to increased use of refrigeration for food storage and decreased use of salted and smoked foods.
