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Gastric Cancer Information

  • Stomach cancer (also called gastric cancer) can develop in any part of the stomach and may spread throughout the stomach and to other organs, particularly the esophagus, small intestine. It also may extend through the stomach wall and spread to nearby lymph nodes and to organs such as the liver, pancreas, and colon. Stomach cancer also may spread to distant organs, such as the lungs, the lymph nodes above the collar bone, and the ovaries...
  • Stomach cancer represents roughly 2% (21,500) cases of all new cancer cases yearly in the United States, but it is much more common in Japan, Great Britain, South America, and Iceland, presumably due to increased dietary consumption of nitrates. It is also associated with high salt in the diet, smoking, and low intake of fruits and vegetables. Infection with H. pylori is the main risk factor in about 80% or more of gastric cancers. It is more common in men.

    A very small percentage of diffuse-type gastric cancers are thought be genetic. Hereditary Diffuse Gastric Cancer (HDGC) has only recently been identified and research is ongoing, but genetic testing and treatment options are available for families at risk.

    Metastasis occurs in 80-90% of individuals with stomach cancer, with a five year survival rate of 75% in those diagnosed in early stages and less than 30% of those diagnosed in late stages. The death rate is 12,400 a year in the United States.

    Like any cancer, treatment is adapted to fit each person's individual needs and depends on the size, location, and extent of the tumor, the stage of the disease, and general health. Cancer of the stomach is difficult to cure unless it is found in an early stage (before it has begun to spread). Unfortunately, because early stomach cancer causes few symptoms, the disease is usually advanced when the diagnosis is made. Treatment for stomach cancer may include surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiation therapy. New treatment approaches such as biological therapy and improved ways of using current methods are being studied in clinical trials.

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Health Blogs

About ten years ago Newsweek ran an article by Howard Brody, MD, PhD, author of "The Placebo Response: How You can Release Your Body's Inner Pharmacy for Better Health." He begins the article by telling a story of a patient who experiences "a medical miracle." She was undergoing experimental brain surgery for her Parkinson's disease. She ... Read More »
Cancer is one of the most fear inducing words in our culture; and it is the number one disease American’s wish to avoid, according to on-line surveys. While cancer research has yet to find the magic bullet for knocking out cancer, there is good news about this deadly disease. As far back as November of 1996, Harvard School of Public Health ... Read More »
From wine to jelly to raisins, grapes can be enjoyed in a number of ways. So it's no wonder that grapes are the second-most popular fruit (they come in a close second to oranges) and that growing and processing grapes is one of the world’s largest food industries. One of the earliest cultivated fruits, grapes were introduced in biblical ... Read More »

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