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StomachStomach Cancer
About Stomach Cancer
Most cancers of the stomach are of a type called adenocarcinomas. This cancer develops from cells that form the lining of the innermost layer of the stomach, the mucosa, where the stomach acid and digestive juices are made. Stomach cancer probably grows slowly over many years. A stomach cancer where the stomach meets the esophagus is less common but has been increasing in incidence over the past several years. It is expected that there will be about 22,000 new cases of stomach cancer in the United States in 2005. Most people diagnosed with stomach cancer are in their 60’s and 70’s.
Risk Factors
Research has found several risk factors that make a person more likely to develop stomach cancer. Men are more at risk than women, and people of Asian or Pacific Island decent are more commonly diagnosed. Other risk factors are: H-pylori infection, persistent heartburn, poor dietary habits, smoking, alcohol abuse, or stomach polyps.
Signs and Symptoms
Stomach cancer rarely has symptoms in the early stages of the disease, making early diagnosis difficult. Some of the possible symptoms of stomach cancer may include: lack of appetite, unintended weight loss, abdominal discomfort, a sense of fullness just below the chest bone after eating a small meal, heartburn, indigestion, or ulcer-type symptoms, nausea, vomiting, or abdominal swelling.