Although stomach cancer is about one-fourth as common as it was 70 years ago, 24,000 new cases are diagnosed annually in the United States.
If caught early, the five-year survival rate is 90 percent. But, unfortunately, symptoms rarely occur until the disease spreads throughout the stomach and to other organs.
At this advanced stage, the cancer is no longer treatable, and the five-year survival rate is only three percent.
-Stomach cancer begins when cancer cells form in the inner lining of your stomach. These cells can grow into a tumor.
Also called gastric cancer, the disease usually grows slowly over many years.If you know the symptoms it causes, you and your doctor may be able to spot it early, when it’s easiest to treat.
-Scientists don’t know exactly what makes cancer cells start growing in the stomach. But they do know a few things that can raise your risk for the disease.
One of them is infection with a common bacteria, H. pylori, which causes ulcers. Inflammation in your gut called gastritis, long-lasting anemia, and growths in your stomach called polyps also can make you more likely to get cancer.
-To stop this stealthy, silent killer before it strikes, you should arm yourself with knowledge by learning the risk factors and the warning signs of stomach cancer.
Stomach cancer can be hard to detect because when the symptoms finally do occur, they are often so mild that the person ignores them.
According to the American Cancer Society,
The following symptoms could indicate stomach cancer:
-Indigestion or heartburn
-Discomfort or pain in the abdomen
-Nausea and vomiting
-Vomiting, with or without blood
-Diarrhea or constipation
-Bloating of the stomach after meals
-Loss of appetite
-Weakness and fatigue
-Bleeding (vomiting blood or having blood in the stool)
