Stomach cancer, also known as gastric cancer, often develops when abnormal cells form in the stomach lining. Usually progressing slowly over the years, making timely diagnosis and expert treatment essential.
Around 95% of the time, stomach cancer begins in the stomach lining and develops slowly. Untreated, it can grow into a mass (tumor) and penetrate your stomach walls. The tumor may spread to neighboring organs, such as the liver and pancreas.
Stomach cancer rarely causes symptoms in its early stages. Even the most prevalent early indicators of stomach cancer, such as unexplained weight loss and stomach pain, typically appear later in the disease's progression.
Symptoms include:
When there is a genetic mutation (change) in the DNA of your stomach cells, stomach cancer develops. Cells use their DNA as a code to choose when to divide and when to stop growing. Instead of dying, the mutation causes the cells to proliferate quickly and eventually form a tumor. Healthy cells are displaced by cancerous cells, which can then metastasize—spread to other areas of your body.
The exact cause of mutation, certain factors can increase the risk of Stomach Cancer.
Genetic conditions that can lead to Stomach cancer:-
By staging, your doctor can determine the extent of the cancer's spread. Stomach cancer stages range from 0 (zero) to IV (four). Stage 0 indicates that the cancer has not progressed past the lining of your stomach. When it reaches stage IV, it has spread to other organs.
Here is the summary given in tabular form
|
Stage |
Description |
|---|---|
|
Stage 0 |
Cancer is limited to the inner stomach lining (carcinoma in situ). |
|
Stage I |
Spread into deeper layers of the stomach wall or nearby lymph nodes. |
|
Stage II |
Spread further into the stomach wall and/or more lymph nodes are involved. |
|
Stage III |
Extensive lymph node involvement and local spread. |
|
Stage IV |
Spread to distant organs (liver, lungs, peritoneum). |
For Stomach Cancer Diagnosis, your doctor will go over your medical history, ask about your symptoms, and conduct a physical examination, which may include feeling for a stomach tumor. To identify and stage stomach cancer, they could request several tests.
Some of the tests include
Endoscopy (upper)—Often performed to diagnose stomach cancer. During the process, your provider inserts a thin tube with a tiny camera at the tip (endoscope) into your mouth and down into your stomach. Small surgical equipment can pass through the endoscope, allowing your doctor to take a tissue sample (biopsy). The sample can be examined in a laboratory for cancer cells.
Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS): A Type of endoscopy used to help stage cancer. The endoscope utilized contains an ultrasound probe attached to the tip, which can take images of your stomach. It can determine whether the cancer has spread from the stomach lining to the stomach wall.
Laparoscopy: It is a type of surgery that helps your doctor determine cancer spread when less invasive procedures, such as imaging, do not provide enough information. During laparoscopy, your doctor inserts a tiny camera into small cuts in the abdomen to see your organs directly.
Blood test and tumor marker- Helps evaluate overall health and cancer progression and its effect on the other organs.
Imaging tests—Tests such as CT scans, MRIs, and PET CT scans can help check for cancer progression and staging.
Barium Swallow Test: It is an X-ray examination that involves drinking a chemical (barium) that makes your stomach lining more visible on an X-ray.
Upper endoscopy—It can be used to remove cancer from the superficial (uppermost) layers of your stomach in its early stages. Endoscopic submucosal dissection or endoscopic mucosal resection is a treatment in which a gastroenterologist cuts the tumor from your stomach wall and removes it through your mouth.
Gastrectomy—Once the tumor has spread beyond the superficial layers of your stomach, surgery would be required to eliminate the cancerous portion of your stomach (subtotal gastrectomy) or remove the entire stomach (total gastrectomy). Your physician will connect your esophagus to your small intestine so that you can continue to eat after a total gastrectomy.
Chemotherapy: Drug-based treatment that shrinks cancer cells, making them easier to remove before surgery. Chemotherapy can also eliminate any leftover cancer cells following surgery. It's typically used in conjunction with radiation (chemoradiation).
Radiation Therapy—Radiation destroys cancer cells by delivering targeted energy beams such as X-rays. Radiation alone is ineffective in treating stomach cancer, but it can be combined with chemotherapy before and after surgery.
Targeted therapy targets cancer cells' weaknesses, leading them to die. It is frequently combined with chemotherapy in cancer that recurs (returns) or progresses.
Immunotherapy helps your immune system locate and destroy cancer cells that are difficult to detect. It is most typically used for recurring or advanced cancers.
Monitor stomach Infection- Ulcers, gastritis, and other stomach problems should be treated very carefully. Untreated stomach problems, particularly those caused by H. pylori bacteria, raise the risk of stomach cancer.
Healthy Body Weight: Keeping yourself fit by doing regular exercise can lower the risk of getting stomach cancer.
Healthy food: A nutritious diet, including citrus fruits, leafy green vegetables, and low-sodium foods, and limiting red meat, can help minimize your risk of developing stomach cancer.
Avoid smoking and tobacco- Tobacco increases the risk of stomach cancer and a variety of other cancers.
Stomach Cancer (Global vs. India stats)
|
Field |
Global (2022) |
India (2022) |
|---|---|---|
|
New Cases |
~968,784 new cases (GLOBOCAN); ASIR ~9.2/100k; 5th most common cancer worldwide |
~64,611 new cases; ASIR ~4.5/100k; men ~6.3/100k, women ~2.6/100k; much higher in men; top 5–10 cancers in India |
|
Deaths |
~769,000 deaths globally; 5th leading cause of cancer death |
~56,423 deaths; high fatality rate due to late diagnosis and limited access to advanced care |
|
Age & Gender |
Mostly affects adults 60+; men are ~2× more affected than women |
Most common in people aged 50+; male:female ratio often ~2:1, sometimes higher in northeast regions |
|
Hotspots |
East Asia (Japan, South Korea, China), South America, Eastern Europe |
Very high in Mizoram, Sikkim, Nagaland; risk linked to diet, tobacco, and H. pylori infection nationwide |
|
Rural vs Urban |
Worse outcomes in rural areas of high-incidence countries due to limited screening |
Northeast rural areas show high rates due to local diets and infections; urban cases rising with modern food habits |
|
5‑yr Survival |
Global 5-year survival is ~20–30%; it varies widely—> 60% (early-stage, Japan), <10% (late-stage) |
India’s survival rate is often <20%; ranges between 4–15% due to late-stage diagnosis and poor access to treatment |
|
Key Subtypes |
Mostly adenocarcinomas (~90–95%)—intestinal & diffuse types; also GISTs and lymphomas |
Same types found in India; intestinal-type adenocarcinoma is most common; it is linked to diet and H. pylori infection |
Indigestion, bloating, and feeling full after small meals are common early warning signals.
Yes, if caught early. Treatment becomes more challenging as the disease progresses, although current medicines improve outcomes.
People over the age of 50, particularly men, who have an H. pylori infection, a family history, or a highly processed food diet can increase the risk of stomach cancer.
The 5-year relative survival rate for stomach cancer is ~36 percent. This means that patients diagnosed with stomach cancer are 36% more likely to be alive 5 years after diagnosis than people who do not have stomach cancer.
Progression rates vary. Some stomach cancers grow slowly over the years, while others may advance rapidly, especially in aggressive subtypes.
Managing H. pylori infection, avoiding tobacco, maintaining a healthy diet rich in fruits/vegetables, and limiting processed foods may help reduce risk.
Denvax trains your immune cells (dendritic cells) to recognize and attack cancer while minimizing unwanted effects.
