Stomach Cancer Risk Factors 

 Is Stomach Cancer Hereditary?

The goal of this page is to list and decribe the most common stomach cancer risk factors, and to answer the question is stomach cancer hereditary. This article on stomach cancer risk factors is intended for the general public, that is, individuals with no medical training or education. It is not intended for medical professionals. Always remember that your doctor is the best source for information about stomach cancer and stomach cancer risk factors.

Is stomach cancer hereditary? The exact causes of stomach cancer are still unknown, but doctors and medical researchers agree that there are certain stomach cancer risk factors that seem to lead to an increased possibility that a person will get the disease. There are inherited genetic disorders such as familial adenomatous polyposis, which is also referred to as FAP, and Lynch syndrome, which is also known as HNPCC, which place individuals at a higher risk. People with these diseases experience a somewhat higher risk of getting colorectal cancer and a slightly higher risk of getting stomach cancer.

Heredity and stomach cancer seem to be linked less than some other stomach cancer risk factors, which are listed below. Some of these risk factors can be controlled through lifestyle changes, but others can't.

Diet and the presence of a bacterium known as Helicobacter pylori seem to be the biggest stomach cancer risk factors, although there are others.

The Helicobacter pylori or H. pylori bacterium This type of bacteria appears to cause an infection in the stomach that can lead to stomach cancer. This risk factor is often present in stomach cancer cases involving the lower part of the stomach. Over a long period of time, H. pylori seems to lead to inflammation and changes of the inner lining of the stomach.

The good news is, a large majority of people who carry the Helicobacter pylori germ never get stomach cancer.

Diet People who eat a lot of smoked foods, salted meat and fish, and pickled vegetables are at higher risk for stomach cancer. This is probably because of the presence of nitrates and nitrites in their food.

Nitrates and nitrites are commonly found in cured meats. In the stomach, they can be converted into compounds that probably produce stomach cancer. Eating a healthy percentage of fresh fruit and vegetables containing antioxidants and vitamins seems to lower stomach cancer risk. See stomach cancer diet.

Gender also appears to be a stomach cancer risk factor, although no one is sure why. Almost twice as many men get stomach cancer as women.

Age is one of the stomach cancer risk factors too. Stomach cancer rates climb after age 50, with most cases appearing in people over the age of 65.

Geography and ethnicity A dietary factor may be at play here, but people in East Asia, especially Japan, have higher cancer rates than in North America and Northern Europe. Asian/Pacific Islanders have a high rate of stomach cancer, as do populations living in Eastern Europe and South and Central America. Stomach cancer is less common in Northern and Western Africa and South Central Asia.

Meanwhile, however, in the United States, stomach cancer is also more prevalent in Hispanic Americans and African Americans than in non-Hispanic whites.

Smokers and people who use tobacco products are at a higher risk for stomach cancer. The rate of stomach cancer among tobacco users is nearly double that of non-tobacco users.

Obesity has emerged as one of the stomach cancer risk factors in the opinion of medical professionals. There still needs to be a lot of research on this, but obesity appears to contribute to an increased rish of cancers of the cardia, which is the part of the stomach nearest the esophagus.

Occupation Workers in certain industries have an historically higher risk of getting stomach cancer. Those industries include coal, metal, and rubber.

Having had stomach surgery seems to contribute to a higher risk of getting stomach cancer. This includes anyone who has had a portion of the stomach removed, even if it's to treat non-cancerous conditions like stomach ulcers. The risk appears to increase for as long as 15 to 20 years after surgery. This may occur because there are more nitrite-producing bacteria present in people who have had part of the stomach removed. Also, the stomach produces less acid after ulcer surgery, which can lead to reflux, or backup, of bile from the small intestine into the stomach.

Several medical conditions have a historical connection to increased risk for stomach cancer. These include the following.

Pernicious anemia is a severe form of anemia, which is a reduction in the number of circulating red blood cells. Pernicious anemia is caused by a lack of vitamin B12. Patients with pernicious anemia usually experience weight loss, fatigue, sore mouth and tongue, and a fast pulse,

Menetrier disease which is also known as hypertrophic gastropathy. There's an abnormal growth of the stomach lining. As a result, large folds begin to develop, and there's a lower level of stomach acid production. This is a very rare disease, and little is known about it. But people who have it are at a higher risk of getting stomach cancer.

Blood type can also be a risk factor. People with Type A blood get stomach cancer at a somewhat higher rate than people with other types.

Epstein-Barr virus infection This virus causes infectious mononucleosis and has also been found in the stomach cancers of about 5% to 10% of people who have become infected. The role the virus plays in stomach cancer development isn't clear.

Stomach polyps Polyps are growths on the lining of the stomach. They're non-cancerous, but one type in particular called adenomas may be considered pre-cancerous.