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An Overview of Stomach Cancer

Stomach cancer, or gastric cancer, encompasses a range of different cancers that specifically occur in areas of the stomach. If left unchecked stomach cancer can spread to other areas of the body -- becoming even more dangerous. The American Cancer Society estimates just under 30,000 Americans will develop stomach cancer this year, and 10,000 of those cases will be fatal. Here’s a look at the types, symptoms, causes, and treatments of stomach cancer. 

Types of Stomach Cancer

According to the Cancer Treatment Centers of America, there are 4 different types of stomach cancer: adenocarcinomas, gastrointestinal stromal tumors, carcinoid tumors, and lymphomas. Adenocarcinoma, the most common type, develops in the inner lining of the stomach in the cells that produce mucus. 

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) occur in a specific cell of the lining called “interstitial cells of Cajal.” Carcinoid tumors generally come from the cells of the stomach that produce hormones; unlike other types of cancer, they do not tend to spread beyond the stomach. Lymphoma is not specific to the stomach and is actually a cancer of the immune system that can begin in the stomach. 

The Mayo Clinic states that cancer of the stomach body has been declining for many years all over the world, while cancer of the gastroesophageal junction is rising. The gastroesophageal junction refers to the area where the esophagus and the top of the stomach meet. This may be called gastroesophageal junction cancer, rather than stomach cancer (because it includes the esophagus, a separate organ) but symptoms and other aspects of the disease tend to be very similar. 

Symptoms

Any form of cancer is likely to leave you feeling almost constantly exhausted. Unintended weight loss is also a common uniting symptom. This may be particularly apt for stomach cancers, as it can make you feel full despite eating only a little bit. Bloating after a meal is also common. You may notice your stomach is painful, in addition to persistent nausea, heartburn, indigestion, and vomiting. 

Years can pass before you notice the signs of stomach cancer. Depending on the type of cancer, it may take quite some time for gastric cancers to progress to a symptomatic point, particularly for adenocarcinoma. This type of stomach cancer typically begins with what the American Cancer Society refers to as “pre-cancerous changes ...in the inner lining (mucosa) of the stomach.”

Causes of Stomach Cancer

Unfortunately the exact cause of cancer  is still up in the air, but it rests largely on the idea that certain cells begin to mutate. Normal cells grow, multiply, and die on a specific schedule. Mutated cancer cells grow, multiply, and carry on well past their time. This creates a cancerous area or tumor that causes problems for the organ it begins in and/or spread through the body (such as lymphoma). 

Gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD), a chronic and intense form of heartburn, is thought to have some correlation with gastroesophageal junction cancer in particular. Other correlations and risk factors for stomach cancers may include: cigarette smoking, being overweight, a diet that includes excessive amounts of smoked or salted foods, a diet that does not include sufficient produce, ingesting the fungus “aflatoxin”, Helicobacter (H.) pylori infection, chronic inflammation, genetics, stomach polyps, and pernicious anemia. 

Treating Stomach Cancer

A variety of factors can impact the course of treatment most appropriate for the patient, from where in the stomach the cancer is located to how far the cancer is progressed. Treatment may involve surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, targeted drugs, or a combination thereof. 

Patients with cancer that remains in the stomach, and in the stomach only, may benefit from surgery. Stomach cancer surgery can involve removing the tumor or cancerous tissue, along with a small amount of the surrounding tissue, parts of the stomach, or nearby lymph nodes.

Radiation involves the use of specific beams of energy to encourage mutated cancer cells to shrink. It can be a stand alone treatment, or used before and after surgery (to shrink tumors and ensure any surrounding cancerous cells are negated). Chemotherapy involves the use of chemicals to kill cancerous cells. Both treatment options can come with some nasty side effects. Targeted drug therapy uses specific drugs to attack specific mutations in cancerous cells. They are often used in tandem with chemotherapy, although only two are currently approved for gastroesophageal junction cancer. 

Last Updated: July 28, 2017