The vast majority of stomach cancers are classified as adenocarcinomas, tumors that originate in epithelial cells and exhibit gland-like properties. Only about five percent of all cases of the disease are lymphomas, carcinoids, squamous cell carcinomas, leiomyosarcomas, or other types of cancer.

Stomach cancer is not one of the top causes of cancer-related death in the United States, but is still of significant concern. Each year about 24,000 Americans are diagnosed with stomach cancer. Individuals afflicted with late stages of the disease have a very poor prognosis with an average survival time of less than a year.

Stomach cancer is unusual in that its incidence in the United States has declined considerably over the last hundred years, whereas many other malignancies have become more prevalent. The downward trend is primarily attributable to the significant reduction in the use of certain food preservation techniques, including salting, smoking, and pickling, since the invention of the refrigerator and its widespread dissemination in America. Other countries whose inhabitants still consume large amounts of foods preserved via such methods due to poor availability of refrigeration or for cultural reasons are associated with notably higher stomach cancer rates.

Individuals with stomach cancer commonly do not experience any symptoms during the early stages of the disease. Then, even when signs do develop, they are often non-specific, which can make a proper diagnosis difficult. Some of the many symptoms associated with the disease are loss of appetite, pain or discomfort in the abdominal region, heartburn, indigestion, nausea, vomiting, bloating, fecal blood, unexplained weight loss, weakness, and fatigue. Many other forms of cancer as well as less serious disorders have similar symptoms, so extensive medical examination is generally necessary in order for a doctor to determine that a patient is suffering form stomach cancer.

Scientists have not yet been able to develop a screening test that is specific for stomach cancer. Consequently, a variety of approaches are generally utilized by medical professionals to establish a diagnosis. For instance, fecal occult blood testing is often used to determine if there is any blood present in the stool, while the lining of the stomach may be examined via an endoscope. A biopsy can be performed during endoscopy if any abnormal growths are found.

The primary treatment for most stomach cancer patients is surgery, the only means of possibly fully curing the disease. The specific type of operation that is utilized depends chiefly on the location and the extent of the tissue involved. Early-stage cancers, for instance, are sometimes suitable for endoscopic tumor removal techniques, whereas more advanced cancers may require partial or complete removal of the stomach (gastrectomy) as well as removal of nearby lymph nodes. Radiation therapy is often used following surgery to kill any remaining cancer cells and can be used to shrink tumors and relieve symptoms of individuals for whom surgery is considered unsuitable.

Gastric Adenocarcinoma at 20x Magnification - Alcohol and tobacco use, Helicobacter pylori infection, previous stomach surgery, and chronic gastric inflammation are all considered risk factors for stomach cancer.

Gastric Adenocarcinoma at 10x Magnification - When stomach cancer is detected early, nearly 70 percent of patients survive for more than five years, but many of these individuals experience long-term effects from their treatment.

Gastric Adenocarcinoma at 20x Magnification - Staging of gastric adenocarcinoma, which entails determining the extent of tumor progression, often involves x-rays, computed tomography scans, and magnetic resonance imaging.

Gastric Adenocarcinoma at 10x Magnification - Chemotherapy is commonly used as an adjuvant therapy for stomach cancer patients that undergo surgery, as well as a primary treatment for patients with metastases.