What Is Stomach Cancer?

Types Of Stomach Cancer

The goal of this article is to answer the questions what is stomach cancer and what are the types of stomach cancer in easy-to-understand, non-medical language.

What is stomach cancer? The definition of stomach cancer is very simple: it is a type of cancer that usually begins in the stomach and may then spread to other organs and tissues. Stomach cancer is also known as gastric cancer. The terms gastric cancer and stomach cancer will be used interchangeably in this article.

Stomach cancer used to be the number one cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, but in recent decades, the number of stomach cancer cases has been declining. Currently, about 20,000 cases are diagnosed annually in the U.S each year.

Japan, on the other hand, has more than 10 times as many. This is probably due to dietary factors. Research suggests that diets which include a lot of salt and nitrates probably increase a person's chances of getting stomach cancer.

People who work in certain industries seem to be at a higher risk of getting stomach cancer. These industries include coal mining, nickel mining, timber, and rubber.  

Family history may also play a role in an individual's risk profile. Anyone who has had surgery for stomach ulcers and those with pernicious anemia are also more prone to getting stomach cancer. Other causes for different types of stomach cancer include the presence of a bacteria known as Helicopbacter pylori in the stomach, smoking and radiation exposure. For more information, click on causes of stomach cancer. Also see stomach cancer risk factors.

Types of stomach cancer

Adenocarcinomas are the most common type of stomach cancer. This type of stomach cancer starts in the mucus-producing cells on the inside lining of the stomach.

Soft tissue sarcomas occur much less often. These begin in the cells in the muscle layer of the stomach.

Another type of sarcoma is known as a gastrointestinal stromal tumor or GIST. This type of stomach cancer starts in the tissues that support the organs of the digestive system.

A MALT lymphoma (also known as a MALToma) is a relatively rare form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. It starts in the lymphatic tissue of the stomach.

Carcinoid tumor is another type of cancer that can affect the stomach. Carcinoid tumors usually appear in the gastrointestinal tract, including the stomach.

When gastric cancer is diagnosed early, three out of four patients survive for at least five years.

Also see stomach stomach cancer testing, stomach cancer and diet for additional information.