How Can You Get Stomach Cancer - More Facts!

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Gastric cancer or more familiar known /called as ‘stomach cancer’ is one of serious diseases that often diagnosed at later stages, and this is one of the major reasons of why it is very difficult to be treated. And therefore, having adequate knowledge about this disease is very helpful for you and your doctor to catch it earlier. So, how can you get stomach cancer? What else you need to know about facts of this disease?!

You may also be interested to read prognosis and  early symptoms of stomach cancer!

Fortunately, gastric cancer is only common in certain countries. In the U.S, it is uncommon (even according to the American Cancer Society -- in the past 60 years, there has been a huge decrease in the number of individuals diagnosed with it). Many cases of stomach cancer are found in Japan, parts of South America and Central America.

What actually is stomach cancer?

As the name implies, it is a kind of cancer that affects /occurs in the gastric or stomach! In general, we can call it as a malignant tumor that is arising in the stomach’s lining.

The stomach’s wall structural

Stomach is one of crucial parts of our digestive system. It is located under the ribs and upper abdomen. 

To understand gastric cancer, it’s much better to also know more about the structural of your stomach’s wall. It consists of 5 major layers which include; 

1. Serosa! It is the outer layer that has function to hold the stomach.
2. Subserosa - a support tissue of serosa.
3. Muscle layer! It has some muscles to mash & mix the food.
4. Submucosa - a support tissue for mucosa!
5. And mucosa or also familiar called as inner layer /lining! To digest food, your stomach requires juices that are produced by glands in the mucosa.

Malignant and benign tumors

Basically, cancer is a form of a cell. Sometimes new cells are required by the body, such as to replace the old cells. But this process sometimes can go abnormally -- when the body doesn’t need new cells, without unknown reason some new cells are continuously produced, and the damaged /old cells are also not gone /dead as they should be! As a result, there is a buildup of extra cells what we call as tumor or polyp or a growth. 

Tumors associated with stomach can be classified into 2 major groups:

Malignant tumor

This is categorized into cancer, and therefore it may be potentially life-threatening! There is also a chance for this kind of tumor to spread and attack other parts of the body. 

It can damage /invade nearby tissues or even nearby organs. Though it can be removed (in many cases), but there is a chance for this kind of tumor to grow back.

Benign tumor

It is not a kind of cancer. If compared to malignant tumor, it is relatively less harmful. It also may be a threat of life, but only in rare cases. Furthermore, it is relatively easier to be treated. It can be removed, and in many cases it will not grow back.

Unlike malignant tumor, benign tumor also typically doesn’t spread to another part of the body. Even it also usually doesn’t invade nearby tissues.

How does stomach cancer occur?

In many cases, gastric cancer begins to grow from the inner layer of stomach’s wall. Then there is a chance for it to invade more deeply into the wall of stomach, which then also spread to nearby organs, particularly like intestine, pancreas, esophagus, or liver.

Image credit © to WebMD

A cell of stomach cancer can spread by breaking away from its original tumor. The process of this cell of cancer to spread is also familiar called as ‘metastasis’! Ask a doctor for in-depth information!

What are types of gastric cancer?

In general, the types of gastric cancer are categorized according to a kind of tissue where they occur for the first time!

Adenocarcinoma is the most common type (it takes about 90-95 percent of all cases -- according to a published article on WebMD). It usually begins in the tissue of glandular of the stomach.

Sarcomas and lymphomas are other forms of stomach cancer -- you may also like to read some common lymphoma symptoms in women and men! Sarcomas usually involve /affect the connective tissue, particularly like blood vessels, fat, or muscles. And for lymphomas, they usually involve /affect the body’s lymphatic system.

Furthemore, GIST (gastrointestinal stromal tumor) and carcinoid cancer also can be categorized into gastric cancer. GIST usually begins to grow from specific nervous system cells in the stomach. And for carcinoid cancer, it usually starts in hormone-producing cells.  

How can you get stomach cancer and how to prevent it?

Since there is still no clearly result of studies to confirm the exact cause of stomach cancer, there is also no clearly answer of why we can get it and how to prevent it.

But some experts believe that there some ways that may be effective to lower your risk of having stomach cancer. Some of these ways may include:

1. Avoid diet high in smoked foods and salty foods! It’s much better to have diet high in fresh fruits & vegetables. For better result, don’t forget also to have a wide variety of colorful fresh fruits & vegetables in your diet. 
2. Do your exercise regularly! Having lack of physical activity may also increase your risk of gastric cancer.
3. Stay away from unhealthy habits, particularly such as smoking. Many studies found that cigarette smoking can increase your risk of developing a lot of health problems and diseases, such as stomach cancer. Read also some smoking side effects!
4. Get to know more your condition! Some medical conditions (like stomach polyps, chronic gastritis, and pernicious anemia) can increase the risk of developing gastric cancer. If you have one or some of these health conditions, ask a doctor about how these factors affect your gastric stomach risk! Allow your doctor to know all conditions of your body!

In addition, an infection from ‘Helicobacter pylori’, consuming foods that contain aflatoxin fungus, having a family history of stomach cancer, and having certain genetic abnormalities  are also believed will put someone at higher risk of gastric cancer. Furthermore, stomach cancer is also more common in advanced age (around 70 -74 years of age). 

You may also like to know about symptoms of bladder cancer and spastic colon! 

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Reference: MayoClinic, MedicineNet, and WebMD