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Gastric Cancer

About the stomach

The stomach is a muscular organ located in the upper abdomen. When food is swallowed, it runs down the esophagus (throat) and enters the stomach. The stomach has five layers. The inner layer or lining is called the mucosa, this layer is made up of glandular cells that secrete the juices that help digest food. The second layer is the submucosa which supports the inner layer. Next is the muscle layer which contracts and creates a rippling motion that mixes and mashes the food. The subserosa covers and supports the muscle layer. The final layer is the serosa, this layer covers and holds the stomach in place.

What is gastric cancer?

Most cancers of the stomach are adenocarcinoma, which start in the glandular cells of the mucosa. Less common cancers of the stomach are lymphomas, carcinoid tumors and gastrointestinal stromal tumors. Gastric cancers are very common in some parts of the world, however in the United States it is one of the least common cancers. The area of the stomach where gastric cancer originates has changed over the past fifteen years in the United States; it now originates most frequently in the upper part of the stomach, where the stomach meets the esophagus (GE junction). Because of this it can be difficult to determine whether the cancer originated in the esophagus or the stomach. Although treatments for esophageal and gastric cancers are similar, careful examination of the cells under a microscope is very important to help determine the best treatment plan for you.

Risk factors for gastric cancers include:

• Helicobacter pylori infection - This infection is common in the U.S. and is responsible for most ulcers found in the stomach and duodenum (small intestine).
• Smoking - People who smoke are more likely to develop stomach cancer than people who do not smoke. Cigarettes contain carcinogens and are irritating to the lining of the stomach.
• High salt intake - People who have diets high in foods that are smoked, salted or pickled may be at increased risk for stomach cancer.
• Race - Stomach cancer is more common in Asian, Pacific Islander, Hispanic and African Americans.
• Hereditary factors - Certain inherited genetic disorders, such as hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC or Lynch Syndrome), hereditary diffuse gastric cancer and familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) may increase the risk of stomach cancer.

What are the symptoms of gastric cancer?

Early gastric cancers often do not cause clear symptoms. Once symptoms do appear they can be different for a cancer located in the upper stomach than a cancer located in the lower stomach. Some of the common symptoms are:

• anemia (low hemoglobin)
• blood in stools
• discomfort in the stomach area
• feeling full or bloated after a small meal
• unintentional weight loss
• nausea and vomiting

 

Virginia Piper Cancer Institute
Abbott Northwestern Hospital
800 East 28th Street
Minneapolis, MN 55407
612-863-0200

First published: 10/17/2005
Last updated: 03/17/2005

Reviewed by: Dr. Daniel Dunn, Marge Watry