Stomach Cancer Center

The National Cancer Institute states that each year nearly 24,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with cancer of the stomach. Fortunately, the rate of stomach cancer diagnoses in the United States, as well as the number of deaths from this disease, have decreased dramatically over the past 60 years.

Researchers have learned that some people are more likely than others to develop stomach cancer. The disease is found most often in people over age 55. It affects men twice as often as women, and is more common in African Americans than in Caucasians. Also, stomach cancer is more common in some parts of the world, such as Japan, Korea, parts of Eastern Europe and Latin America. People in these areas eat many foods that are preserved by drying, smoking, salting or pickling. Scientists believe that eating foods preserved in these ways may play a role in the development of stomach cancer. On the other hand, fresh foods (especially fresh fruits and vegetables and properly frozen or refrigerated fresh foods) may protect against this disease.

Stomach ulcers do not appear to increase a person's risk of developing stomach cancer. However, some studies suggest that a type of bacteria, Helicobacter pylori, which may cause stomach inflammation and ulcers, may be an important risk factor for this disease. Also, research shows that people who have had stomach surgery or have pernicious anemia, achlorhydria or gastric atrophy (which generally result in lower than normal amounts of digestive juices) have an increased risk of stomach cancer.

Exposure to certain dusts and fumes in the workplace has been linked to a higher than average risk of stomach cancer. In addition, some scientists believe smoking may increase stomach cancer risk.

Stomach cancer (also called gastric cancer) can develop in any part of the stomach, and may spread throughout the stomach and to other organs. It may grow along the stomach wall into the esophagus or small intestine.

Gastric cancer may also extend through the stomach wall and spread to nearby lymph nodes, and to organs such as the liver, pancreas and colon. It may spread to distant organs, such as the lungs, the lymph nodes above the collarbone and to a woman’s ovaries.

When cancer spreads to another part of the body, the new tumor has the same kind of abnormal cells and the same name as the primary tumor. For example, if stomach cancer spreads to the liver, the cancer cells in the liver are stomach cancer cells. The disease is metastatic stomach cancer (it is not liver cancer). However, when stomach cancer spreads to an ovary, the tumor in the ovary is called a Krukenberg tumor. (This tumor, named for a doctor, is not a different disease; it is metastatic stomach cancer. The cancer cells in a Krukenberg tumor are stomach cancer cells, the same as the cancer cells in the primary tumor.)

At Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA), we use many tools to help you fight stomach cancer on all fronts. A powerful combination of traditional and new, innovative therapies are provided by cancer experts who work with you to determine the appropriate combination of therapies, which may include the following:

• Surgery is often performed to remove tumors of the stomach, whenever practical. Surgery may also help prevent future complications, such as blockage or bleeding.
• Fractionated-Dose Chemotherapy divides a powerful dose of chemo drugs into smaller doses, given over several days. This approach exposes cancer cells to the drugs for a longer period of time, while also seeking to reduce the unpleasant side effects often experienced with larger doses.
• Biotherapy/Immunotherapy is a treatment that is sometimes used for stomach cancer. Immunotherapy causes the body's own natural defenses (immune system) to attack the cancer.

In addition the therapies described above, CTCA enriches your treatment by offering complementary and alternative therapies such as naturopathic medicine, nutritional therapy, mind-body medicine, image enhancement and spiritual support. CTCA is with you every step of the way in what truly is the fight of your life.

Next Topic: Conventional Stomach Cancer Treatments