Also known as gastric cancer, stomach cancer is a buildup of unusual cells that develop a mass in the area of the stomach. As per the World Health Organization (WHO) statistics of January 2018, stomach cancer was the cause behind approximately 723,000 cancer-related demises across the globe. Most people who are diagnosed with this disease already have metastasis, or develop it at a later stage. Metastasis develops when the cancer spreads from the part where it first began. Explained below are the causes, risk factors, and a few types of stomach cancer.
Causes
Stomach cancer occurs when there are changes in the structure of the DNA. These changes can disrupt the instructions that manage cell growth. In such a situation, cells that should die may remain, and the newly created cells may be produced very quickly or in an uncontrollable manner. The accumulating cancer cells develop a tumor that can attack adjacent structures, and these cells can break off from the tumor to spread across the entire body.
Risk factors
The risk factors associated with stomach cancer are as follows:
Stomach polyps
Smoking
Pernicious anemia
Long-term stomach inflammation
Low consumption of vegetables and fruits
High consumption of smoked and salty foods
Family history related to this disease
Infection with Helicobacter pylori
Rare types of stomach cancer
Explained below are a few types of stomach cancer. Let us start by throwing light on the rare forms of stomach cancer.
Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs): GISTs are a rare form of stomach cancer. This type of stomach cancer develops in a unique cell that is found in the lining of the stomach known as Interstitial cells of Cajal. GIST cells appear to be quite similar to nerve or muscle cells under a microscope. GISTs may develop throughout the digestive tract. However, around 60-70% of these tumors may occur in the stomach.
Carcinoid tumors: Carcinoid tumors originate in the stomach’s hormone-generating cells. Usually, these tumors do not spread to various other organs of the body. Carcinoid tumors account for approximately 3% of stomach cancer cases. Explained ahead are the different types of carcinoid tumors:
Type I and Type II Enterochromaffin-like (ECL) cell carcinoids: The carcinoids in these types do not produce any symptoms and rarely spread to other body parts. Quite often, they are detected during an endoscopy, which is done for another health-related problem such as acid reflux.
Type III ECL cell carcinoids: The carcinoids in this type are quite aggressive. The excess secretion of carcinoid tumors may result in carcinoid syndrome. This syndrome is marked by constriction of the bronchial tubes in the lungs, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and flushing. In some instances, this condition is also marked by a heart problem such as valve dysfunction. Carcinoid syndrome is an indication that additional aggressive treatment may be required.
It is advised to keep a lookout for stomach cancer if you have any of the aforementioned risk factors or notice any health issues that may point toward these forms of the disease.
