Stomach Cancer

Causes and Risk Factors

The exact causes of stomach cancer are unclear to researchers. Nevertheless, several risk factors have been identified. They include:

1) Age: The risk of developing stomach cancer is higher in people over 40.

2) Gender: Men are more likely to develop stomach cancer then women.

3) Ethnicity: Stomach cancer is more common among Hispanics, African Americans, Asians, and Pacific Islanders.

9) Previous stomach surgery: People that had part of their stomach removed are at a higher risk for developing stomach cancer.

10) Medical conditions: There are approximately eight medical conditions that can increase the risk to develop stomach cancer.

• Helicobacter Pylori Infection: This infection is caused by a bacterium called Helicobater pylori (H pylori). This bacteria increases the risk for developing stomach cancer. A long-term infection with H pylori can lead to another medical condition called chronic atrophic gastritis which causes the inner layer of the stomach to become swollen (a possible pre-cancerous changes of the stomach lining) and progresses until the glandular tissues are destroyed.

• Pernicious Anemia: The stomach lining contains cells that produce a substance that helps the body absorb vitamin B12 from food. If these cells do not produce enough of this substance, it results in a B12 deficit that leads to anemia. Patients with pernicious anemia are at a slightly higher risk for developing stomach cancer.

• Menetrier Disease (Hypertrophic Gastropathy): This is a rare disease associated with low acid production and changes in the stomach lining.

• Hereditary Nonpolyposis Colorectal Cancer and Familial Adenomatous Polyposis: These two inherited genetic disorders slightly increase the risk of developing stomach cancer for those family members who inherited either genetic disorder.

• Infectious Mononucleosis: This medical condition is caused by a virus called Epstein-Bar. This virus is linked to several forms of lymphoma and it was also found in about 5-10 percent of stomach cancer patients. Stomach cancer cause by mononucleosis is a less aggressive form of cancer with a slow growing process and a low tendency to spread.

• Intestinal Metaplasia: This is a medical condition where the normal lining of the stomach is replaced with cells similar to intestinal cells. Intestinal metaplasia can also increase the risk of developing stomach cancer.

• Stomach Polyps: Polyps are non-cancerous growths that develop on the lining of the stomach and if left untreated, can eventually become cancerous.

• Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome: This disorder is a rare medical condition (that can be inhereted or occur spontaneously) characterised by a growth of polyps in the digestive tract. The digestive tract is a hollow tube divided into four segments which include: the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and colon (large intestine).

11) Genetic mutations: People that carry a mutation of the breast cancer genes (known as BRCA1 and BRCA2), have a higher risk for developing stomach cancer.

12) Geographic location: Stomach cancer is more common in Japan, China, Southern and Eastern Europe, and South and Central America. It is less common in Northern and Western Africa, Melanesia, South Central Asia, and North America.

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Article by Alina Morrow, MS
Medical Writer
OmniMedicalSearch.com

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