Gastric Cancer Support Group

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.