What Is Stomach Cancer?

Stomach (gastric) cancer is an intimidating topic to approach. Be it experiencing gastrointestinal symptoms or finding out you are at risk of developing the disease, feelings of anxiety, confusion, and being overwhelmed are normal. One way to cope with these difficult emotions is to learn as much as possible about the disease to lessen the uncertainty you experience. Taking the first step can be as easy as understanding the basics behind gastric cancer.

Your body is made up of trillions of cells. Under normal conditions, these cells grow and divide to replace old or damaged cells that eventually die. However, when this process goes awry, abnormal, or damaged cells can avoid cell death and continue to divide uncontrolled. This leads to the formation of a mass of cells called a tumor, which becomes malignant (cancerous) when it spreads and invades nearby tissues. Gastric cancer, also known as stomach cancer, occurs when abnormal cells within the stomach grow uncontrollably, forming tumors capable of spreading to other parts of the body.

For the past five decades, overall incidence rates of gastric cancer in the U.S. have been on the decline. However, a recent study has revealed arise in a specific type of gastric cancer among younger generations of Americans. More specifically, for those under 50, the incidence rates of non-cardia gastric cancer – defined as cancer of the lower stomach – have increased by 1.3% per year.

Early signs of gastric cancer may also be easily overlooked, due to a general lack of awareness. Some of these may include unexplained bloating and unintended weight loss. For these reasons, if you are experiencing these symptoms for a prolonged period of time or if gastric cancer runs in your family, consult a trusted healthcare professional as soon as possible. Treating gastric cancer can be difficult in the later stages, so as unnerving as it seems, getting checked early could potentially save your life.