When Is Stomach Cancer Awareness Month

June 30, 2022

The AACR has designated November as Gastric Cancer Awareness Month.

When does stomach cancer typically occur?

In 2021, there will have been 26,000 new instances of stomach cancer (also known as gastric cancer). Different areas of the stomach can support the growth of stomach cancer. The symptoms, course of treatment, and results of cancer are influenced by its location.

What you should know about stomach cancer is as follows:

Symptoms of Stomach Cancer

Early stomach cancer signs are not frequently present. When symptoms do materialize, they could comprise:

  • a diminished appetite
  • Unwanted loss of weight
  • a sense of satiety following a little meal
  • bloating or heartburn
  • vomit, occasionally with blood
  • abdominal swelling or fluid accumulation
  • drowsiness, weakness
  • Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes) if liver cancer has progressed

These signs do not necessarily indicate malignancy. They may also be brought on by a variety of other issues, such as a viral infection. Consult your doctor if you experience any of these symptoms, especially if they worsen.

Who Is At Risk for Stomach Cancer?

Potential risk factors for stomach cancer include the following:

  • GenderMen are more likely to develop stomach cancer.
  • AgeRisk rises as people age; the majority of patients are above 65.
  • Ethnicity
  • The majority of those that have it are Asian/Pacific Islanders, Blacks, Native Americans, and Hispanic Americans.
  • Geography
  • Compared to East Asia, Eastern Europe, and South and Central America, stomach cancer is less common in North America and Africa.
  • Infection with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)
  • H. pylori is more common in persons who have stomach cancer than in those who do not.
  • Obesity
  • Obesity and being overweight are connected to upper stomach malignancies.
  • Diet
  • People are at a higher risk if their diet consists primarily of grilled, charcoal-grilled, or processed meats with little or no fruit.
  • AlcoholYour risk increases if you consume more than three alcoholic beverages daily.
  • Tobacco
  • Smokers have a nearly twofold increase in the rate of stomach cancer.
  • stomach surgery history
  • A increased risk applies to people who had a portion of their stomach removed owing to non-cancerous disorders.
  • Stomach polyp history
  • Sometimes adenomatous polyps can result in malignancy.
  • Family historyWhether or not there is an inherited cancer syndrome in the family, stomach cancer risk is increased.
  • some professions
  • There are more cases of stomach cancer among workers in the rubber, metal, and coal industries.
  • Stomach cancer risk is increased for people with blood type A.

The risk of getting stomach cancer is elevated by uncommon disorders such pernicious anemia, Menetrier illness (hypertrophic gastropathy), inherited cancer syndromes, common variable immune weakness, and Epstein-Barr virus, for instance.

How Is Stomach Cancer Diagnosed?

Since routine stomach cancer screening is rarely performed in the US, the majority of cases of stomach cancer are discovered when a patient visits their doctor due to obvious symptoms. There isn’t just one test to diagnose stomach cancer. The diagnosis could be:

  • your medical background, signs, and risk factors
  • a physical examination that includes examining your abdomen for odd changes or symptoms
  • blood test to look for anemia brought on by gastric hemorrhage
  • To check for undetected blood in the stool, use the fecal occult blood test (FOBT).
  • Upright endoscopy
  • a tiny camera on a short tube allows the doctor to view your esophagus, small intestine, and, if necessary, take tiny tissue samples.
  • Biopsy
  • If endoscopic tissue samples were collected, they can be examined for signs of malignancy.
  • Using an upper gastrointestinal (GI) series, your doctor can see the lining of your esophagus, stomach, and a portion of your small intestine.
  • A CT scan is a specialized form of X-ray that creates images of the soft tissues in and around the stomach.
  • Endoscopic ultrasonography is a procedure that involves inserting a tiny tube into the stomach to create images of the stomach and adjacent structures using sound waves.
  • Using a specific dye, a positron emission tomography (PET) scan can find areas of your body with strong chemical activity, such as cancer cells.
  • Using MRI, which stands for magnetic resonance imaging, your body’s soft tissues can be visualized.

How Is Stomach Cancer Treated?

The location and stage of your cancer, your age, your general health, and your personal preferences are all important aspects that will affect how you are treated. You could receive two or more therapies, such as:

  • certain medication therapy
  • radiation treatment

Typically, cancer therapy involves a team. Your care team throughout therapy could consist of:

  • Gastroenterologist
  • operating oncologist
  • a cancer specialist
  • radiotherapy specialist
  • assistant physician
  • nursing assistant
  • nutritional expert

Can Stomach Cancer be Prevented?

Your risk of stomach cancer may be decreased by making certain lifestyle decisions, such as:

  • Keep a healthy weight.
  • Engage in regular exercise
  • Limit or avoid alcohol
  • Consume a balanced diet that is high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. Reduce your intake of processed foods, red and processed meats, and sugary beverages.

Consult your doctor about the best preventive measures if you have an inherited risk factor, such as Lynch syndrome or hereditary diffuse gastric cancer (HDGC).

Make an appointment right once if you want to discuss your risk of stomach cancer with a doctor or if you have stomach cancer symptoms that aren’t getting better.

What hue represents stomach cancer on a ribbon?

A gentle, powdery-blue ribbon is worn as a show of solidarity for people with gastric or stomach cancer. Despite being the third biggest cause of cancer deaths worldwide, stomach cancer still receives little attention, according to the nonprofit No Stomach For Cancer.

November is National Stomach Cancer Awareness Month, which is important for spreading awareness of the illness and generating money for research.

A ribbon for stomach cancer?

As with other cancer kinds, a colored ribbon, in this case one that is periwinkle blue, is used to indicate stomach cancer. Wearing the ribbon enables people to demonstrate their support for the awareness campaign and may inspire them to start a discussion about the condition with friends and family.

What does stomach cancer go by?

Any portion of the stomach can develop stomach cancer, sometimes referred to as gastric cancer. Stomach cancer typically develops in the main stomach portion around the world (stomach body).

How can stomach cancer be made more widely known?

We invite everyone to take part in November, including patients, carers, families, friends, businesses, and organizations.

  • Share your personal experiences with regional, national, and international media outlets to put a face to the illness.
  • Spreading awareness of stomach cancer in your community
  • Participate on our Facebook and other social media accounts.
  • Participate in or host fundraising activities
  • Post a sign to raise awareness of Stomach Cancer Awareness Month.

How can cancer awareness be raised?

  • 10 Strategies for Raising Cancer Awareness at Work Breast cancer education.
  • Create a physical challenge. Our chance of getting cancer rises when we are obese and lead sedentary lifestyles.
  • Organize a fundraiser.
  • Organize a photo contest.
  • Distribute coupons for cancer examinations.
  • Invite a cancer expert.

What is the stomach cancer survival rate?

THIS PAGE CONTAINS INFORMATION REGARDING THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO RECEIVE A STOMACH CANCER DIAGNOSIS EACH YEAR. Additionally, you’ll learn general information on battling the illness. Recall that a number of factors affect survival rates. To view additional pages, use the navigation.

Approximately 1.5% of all new cancer cases identified each year in the US are stomach cancer. An estimated 26,380 people in the US will receive a stomach cancer diagnosis this year15,900 males and 10,480 women. In 2020, there were anticipated to be 1,089,103 new cases of the illness worldwide. The fifth most frequent cancer in the world is stomach cancer.

In the United States, 11,090 deaths from this illness are anticipated this year (6,690 males and 4,400 women). An estimated 768,793 persons worldwide passed away from stomach cancer in 2020. It is the fourth most common reason for cancer deaths worldwide.

Varied regions of the world have different rates of stomach cancer. For instance, it is particularly prevalent in Eastern Europe and East Asia. Incidence rates have decreased by 1.5% yearly in the US over the past ten years. Utilization of antibiotics for infection treatment may contribute in part to this drop. These drugs are effective against H. pylori (see Risk Factors).

The percentage of patients who survive at least 5 years after their cancer is discovered is indicated by the 5-year U.S. survival rate. Percentage refers to the number out of 100. People with stomach cancer have a 32% 5-year survival rate. This figure reflects the fact that 62 percent of stomach cancer patients are diagnosed after the disease has already migrated from the original site. The 5-year survival rate is typically higher if stomach cancer is discovered before it has spread, but it also relies on the stage of the cancer discovered during surgery.

The 5-year survival rate is 70% if the cancer is identified and treated before it has progressed outside the stomach. The 5-year survival rate is 32% if the cancer has progressed to the local lymph nodes, adjacent tissues, or organs. The 5-year survival rate is only 6% if the cancer has migrated to a distant area of the body. About 36% of patients receive a diagnosis at this advanced stage.

It’s vital to keep in mind that estimates exist for the survival rates of those with stomach cancer. The estimate is based on annual data on the number of Americans who have this cancer. Additionally, every five years, experts measure the survival rates. This implies the estimate may not represent the results of advancements in how stomach cancer is detected or treated over the last 5 years. Talk with your doctor if you have any questions regarding this information. Find out more about how to comprehend statistics.

Statistics taken from Cancer Facts & Figures 2022, a publication by the American Cancer Society (ACS), the ACS website, the website of the International Agency for Research on Cancer, and the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program of the National Cancer Institute. (Accessed January 2022 for all sources.)

Is cancer in stage 4 irreversible?

Cancer at stage 4 is not always fatal. It usually requires more intensive therapy because it is progressed.

Cancer that is terminal is one that cannot be cured and will eventually take a person’s life. Some people would refer to it as terminal cancer. When a doctor declares that a patient’s cancer is terminal, it typically signifies that the disease is so far along that there are no longer any effective ways to treat it. Cancers that are more advanced are more likely to be fatal.

The possibility of surviving for a specific amount of time, like five years, when a doctor diagnoses cancer is expressed by survival rates. When breast cancer has progressed to distant parts of the body, the 5-year survival rate is 28%, suggesting that 28% of patients make it through this time.

According to the American Cancer Society, the same percentage is 30% for men whose prostate cancer has progressed to remote locations.

Depending on the cancer type, survival rates can change. Mesothelioma that has migrated to distant locations has a 7 percent 5-year survival rate. This rate is 3% for distant pancreatic cancer.

However, it is important to keep in mind that these rates are based on a substantial amount of historical data. They might not represent current developments in medicine and healthcare. Additionally, a vast array of variables affect each person’s life expectancy.

The procedure of figuring out a cancer’s stage and severity is complicated. All the factors that govern how cancer develops and impacts the body are still unknown to medical professionals. Life expectancy forecasting is quite challenging. The sort of cancer, where it is located, and whether the patient has any other underlying medical disorders are just a few of the numerous factors the doctor will take into account.

Is cancer at stage 4 treatable?

Cancer in stage 4 is typically incurable. In addition, it is doubtful that it can be totally eliminated because it will have spread throughout the body. Treatment aims to increase quality of life and extend life.

Why does stomach cancer develop?

Although the precise origin of stomach cancer is unknown, there are numerous risk factors, notably those related to nutrition and lifestyle. For instance, eating a diet heavy in processed meat, smoked or salted meals, and little to no vegetables increases your risk of developing stomach cancer, as does consuming alcohol and smoking.