Gastric Cancer

Gastric cancer, also called stomach cancer, ranks as the fifth most common cancer worldwide and fourth in cancer deaths, with higher rates in East Asia. It typically starts in the stomach's inner lining as intestinal or diffuse types, often in the distal stomach, though proximal cases rise. Risk factors include chronic H. pylori infection, smoking, salty diets, and family history.

Symptoms
Early signs mimic indigestion: heartburn, upper abdominal pain, nausea, poor appetite, and feeling full quickly. Advanced stages bring unexplained weight loss, vomiting blood, black stools, fatigue, and swallowing trouble. Abdominal swelling or jaundice signals metastasis to liver or nodes.

Causes and Risks

H. pylori causes chronic inflammation leading to atrophy and cancer; other factors are pernicious anemia, Epstein-Barr virus, obesity, and genetics like Lynch syndrome. Men over 60 face higher risk.

Diagnosis and Outlook

Endoscopy with biopsy confirms it; staging uses CT or PET. Early detection boosts 5-year survival to 70%, but late diagnosis drops it below 30%. Prevention emphasizes H. pylori eradication and healthy diet.