Stomach Cancer
What
are causes of stomach cancer?
The
stomach cancer rate in the United States and the number
of deaths from this disease have gone down dramatically
over the past 60 years. Still, stomach cancer is a serious
disease, and scientists all over the world are trying to
learn more about what causes this condition and how to prevent
it. At this time, doctors cannot explain why one person
gets stomach cancer and another does not. They do know,
however, that stomach cancer is not contagious; no one can
"catch" cancer from another person.
Researchers
have learned that some people are more likely than others
to develop stomach cancer. The disease is found most often
in people over age 55. It affects men twice as often as
women and is more common in black people than in white people.
Also, stomach cancer is more common in some parts of the
world, such as Japan, Korea, parts of Eastern Europe, and
Latin America, than in the United States. People in these
areas eat many foods that are preserved by drying, smoking,
salting, or pickling. Scientists believe that eating foods
preserved in these ways may play a role in the development
of stomach cancer. On the other hand, fresh foods (especially
fresh fruits and vegetables and properly frozen or refrigerated
fresh foods) may protect against this disease.
Stomach
ulcers do not appear to increase a person's risk (chance)
of developing stomach cancer. However, some studies suggest
that a type of bacteria, Helicobacter pylori, which may
cause stomach inflammation and ulcers, can be an important
risk factor for this disease. Also, research shows that
people who have had stomach surgery or have pernicious anemia,
achlorhydria, or gastric atrophy (which generally result
in lower than normal amounts of digestive juices) have an
increased risk of stomach cancer.
Exposure
to certain dusts and fumes in the workplace has been linked
to a higher than average risk of stomach cancer. Also, some
scientists believe smoking may increase stomach cancer risk.
People
who think they might be at risk for stomach cancer should
discuss this concern with their doctor. The doctor can suggest
an appropriate schedule of checkups so that, if cancer appears,
it can be detected as early as possible.
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The information on this page has been extracted from http://www.medicinenet.com/stomach_cancer/page2.htm
