There are different types of cancer that can occur in the stomach. The most common is called adenocarcinoma, which starts from one of the common types of cells found in the lining of the stomach. It is uncommon in the United States, but it is common in East Asia, parts of South America and the United States. center and east of Europe. It occurs almost always in men over 40 years.
A person is more likely to be diagnosed with gastric cancer if they have:
- A diet low in fruits and vegetables
- A family history of this disease
- A stomach infection with bacteria called Helicobacter pylori
- A polyp larger than two centimeters in the stomach
- Prolonged stomach inflammation and swelling (chronic atrophic gastritis)
- Pernicious anemia
- A smoking addiction
Symptoms of gastric cancer can include any of the following:
- Abdominal pain or bloating, after a small meal
- Black stools
- Difficulty swallowing, which gets worse over time
- Deterioration of health in general
- Vomiting blood
- Weakness or fatigue
- Weighloss