Stomach Cancer-- Signs, Stats, and Facts

As mentioned in the previous blog post about stomach/gastric cancer, most types of this cancer don’t immediately show symptoms. Oftentimes, the onset of gastric cancer begins slowly and then eventually rapidly progresses. When symptoms begin to form, here are some of the most common ones to look out for:

• Dark/black stool

• Vomiting and nausea

• Swelling

• Poor appetite

• Discomfort in the abdomen

• Heartburn

Stomach cancer accounts for nearly 1.5% of all new cancer diagnoses with over 26,000 people diagnosed with this cancer in the past year in the United States. However, on a more positive note, the rate of stomach cancer diagnosis decreases by about 1.5% each year.

The prevalence of stomach cancer has greatly decreased over the past 100 years in the United States. Before the early to mid-1900s, with the rise of the refrigerator, stomach cancer was the leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States. Death due to stomach cancer was extremely prevalent due to the fact that pickling, salting, and smoking foods were food preservation methods that are also linked to this type of cancer.

We have also come a long way in reducing the mortality rate of this type of cancer. Nowadays, the five-year survival rate is approximately 70%, and it continues to decrease with the development of newer technology and medication.

In terms of the demographics of gastric cancer diagnoses, the average age is 68. About 60% of gastric cancer diagnoses occur in those over the age of 65.

It is also worth noting that this cancer type is most common in non-white, immigrant groups. While the United States has seen dramatic decreases in the prevalence of gastric cancer, this trend has not been consistent elsewhere. In Asia, for example, gastric cancer is still rather common due to higher rates of consumption of salted and smoked foods and higher rates of specific infections that are linked to this type of cancer.

It is also notable that men are nearly twice as likely to develop stomach cancer than women. This cancer type is likely more prevalent in men due to the fact that hormones more prevalent in women like estrogen have been found to have protective effects against the infections often linked with stomach cancer.