Stomach cancer starts in the lining of the stomach. It can spread to nearby tissues or lymph nodes. It can also reach other parts of the body, like the lungs or liver.
Small, early-stage stomach cancers (stage 0 and stage 1) may be treated with surgery and chemotherapy or chemoradiation.
A diagnosis of stomach cancer can be shocking and upsetting, but it is important to stay active and keep asking questions. You and your doctor can work together to create a treatment plan that fits your needs and goals.
Stomach cancer starts when something hurts the cells in the inner lining of your stomach. This causes the cells to develop changes in their DNA. These changes make the cells grow quickly and not die as healthy cells do. Over time, the extra cells build up and form a tumor.
The most common type of stomach cancer is adenocarcinoma. It starts in the glandular tissue on the inside lining of your stomach. Other types of stomach cancer include lymphoma, sarcoma and neuroendocrine cancer (carcinoid).
Cancer that starts in other parts of the body can also spread to the stomach in rare cases. These cancers are called metastatic cancers.
Stomach cancer doesn’t often cause symptoms in the early stages. Symptoms that may occur in later stages of the disease include unexplained weight loss, indigestion and stomach pain. Some people may also have black stool (poop) or vomit blood.
Your doctor will ask you about your past health and symptoms and do a physical exam. He or she will order lab tests, such as a complete blood count, to see how your organs are working and to look for signs of cancer.
If your doctor suspects that you have stomach cancer, he or she will use a thin tube with a camera on the end (an endoscope) to take a look at your stomach. The doctor will pass the endoscope into your mouth, down your throat and oesophagus and into your stomach. The doctor will then look at the lining of your stomach and can take a sample of tissue from any suspicious areas to check for cancer cells.
A CT scan, a special kind of x-ray that takes pictures of your stomach and digestive tract to show the location and size of the tumor, is another tool for diagnosing stomach cancer. In addition, your doctor can do an endoscopic ultrasound to look at the muscle layer of your stomach and check for any abnormalities.
The first step to diagnosing stomach cancer is usually taking a sample of the stomach lining. This is called a biopsy and can be done by inserting a thin tube with a camera at the end (endoscope). Doctors can also use ultrasound to get a better look at the inside of the stomach and nearby lymph nodes. X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), CT scans and positron emission tomography (PET) are also used to help doctors get pictures of the stomach and see any tumors or areas of abnormal tissue.
These tests will also check whether the cancer has spread to other parts of the body. Stomach cancer that has not spread is said to be in stage 0 or stage 1. Cancer that has spread beyond the stomach to other parts of the body is in stages 2 through 4.
A blood test to measure the levels of certain chemicals in your body can help to tell whether the cancer has spread. A test to measure the function of your liver and kidneys may also be helpful, as high levels of some chemicals in the blood can be a sign of the cancer spreading to these organs.
Other tests that can be done include a gastroscopy with a biopsy, to check the area around the stomach; an endoscopic ultrasound, where a doctor passes a thin probe with an ultrasound machine through your mouth and throat into your oesophagus, stomach and the start of your small intestine; and a clot-dissolving medication test. If the test results are positive, a surgeon will remove a sample of your stomach lining and the surrounding lymph nodes for further testing in a laboratory.
We are working to improve the way we diagnose and treat stomach cancer, including making sure that people who are at higher risk of developing this disease get early treatment. Our doctors treat more patients with gastric cancer than any other cancer center in the United States and are leading important research into the best ways to prevent and treat the disease.
Stomach cancers are most often caused by a bacterial infection called helicobacter pylori, which can be caused by eating foods that are acidic or by having gastro-esophageal reflux disease. Other causes include being overweight, having a history of peptic ulcers, smoking and having inherited conditions such as hereditary diffuse gastric cancer, familial adenomatous polyposis and Lynch syndrome.
The type of treatment you receive for stomach cancer depends on the stage of the cancer. Very early stages of the disease, when the tumor is only on the surface of the stomach lining and hasn’t spread to nearby tissues or lymph nodes (bean-sized structures that help fight infections), usually can be cured with surgery. You may also be given chemotherapy before surgery to kill any remaining cancer cells.
Doctors can remove the tumor and some of the surrounding tissue with a surgical procedure called a gastroduodenectomy. This is done through a small tube inserted into your mouth and throat, then down into your stomach. During this surgery, doctors can also remove any ulcers in the stomach lining. They may also take tissue samples from the inside lining of your stomach and nearby lymph nodes. These samples are checked later for signs of cancer.
Stomach cancer that’s in the deeper layers of your stomach wall but hasn’t spread to other parts of your body is treated with surgery plus chemotherapy and sometimes radiation. In some cases, doctors may decide to only remove the part of your stomach that contains the tumor. If your cancer is in the late stages of stomach cancer, you might need a surgical procedure called a gastrectomy, which involves removing most or all of your stomach and nearby lymph nodes.
Some people with advanced stomach cancer have a chance of living longer when they get chemotherapy before surgery. This treatment is called neoadjuvant chemotherapy. It can kill any cancer cells that might be left after surgery and make the tumor more sensitive to the effects of radiation. It can also help your immune system fight the cancer more effectively.
If your tumor is blocking the flow of food into the small intestine, doctors can use an endoscope to place an expanding metal scaffolding device, called a stent, into the area where your stomach and esophagus meet. This can keep the esophagus and stomach open so you can eat and digest food normally.
If the symptoms of stomach cancer interfere with your daily activities, you may need a feeding tube. This is a thin tube that’s placed into either the lower part of your stomach (a gastrostomy tube or G tube) or into the small intestine (a jejunostomy tube or J tube). You can then drink liquid nutrition through this tube.
Stomach cancer is more common in people over age 55, but it can occur at any age. It often develops in the lining of the stomach and may spread to other organs, including bone and liver. Because symptoms can be mistaken for indigestion and heartburn, stomach cancer is often diagnosed after it has progressed to an advanced stage. The 5-year survival rate is 32% in the United States.
Risk factors for stomach cancer include age and family history. It is also more common in men than in women. People who have a chronic infection with Helicobacter pylori (a bacteria) are at higher risk for stomach cancer than those who do not. Other risk factors include a diet high in salty, pickled, or smoked foods; consuming too many red meats; smoking; being overweight; and taking certain medications, such as aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
Scientists are working to learn more about what causes stomach cancer. They are investigating whether a mutation in the DNA of stomach cells contributes to this disease, and they are also studying how and why the lining of the stomach changes over time.
While there are no routine tests to detect stomach cancer, people who have a family history of this disease or of other types of cancer can ask their doctor about screening for stomach cancer. The goal of screening is to find the early stages of stomach cancer, when it is easier to treat.
Currently, doctors do not screen everyone for stomach cancer because the disease is rare and identifying it can be difficult. To check for signs of the disease, your doctor will review your medical history and symptoms, perform a physical exam, and order blood tests to look for certain proteins that indicate the presence of tumors. They may also order an upper endoscopy, a procedure in which your doctor inserts a thin tube with a camera down your throat and into your stomach. In some cases, your doctor may also recommend a biopsy to confirm the diagnosis. During this test, your doctor will remove a small sample of tissue from the suspected area and then test it for signs of cancer.
Stomach cancer doesn’t usually cause any symptoms in its early stages. But as it progresses, you may have indigestion, loss of appetite, stomach pain and black stools.
Stomach cancer starts in the lining of the stomach, which is a J-shaped organ that holds and breaks down food. It has five layers. Cancer can grow into the inner layer, the submucosa, and spread into the other layers.
Almost everyone has stomach pain from time to time, but if it is a regular occurrence or doesn’t get better, you should see a doctor. This is especially true if the pain is constant or getting worse and you feel it when you eat or after a meal. You also should seek medical care if you have unexplained weight loss or your symptoms don’t improve.
Stomach cancer, or gastric cancer, occurs when cells in the stomach change and grow out of control. It may spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body.
Cancer in the stomach often starts in the lining of the stomach, but it can also start in other parts of the stomach or in the lymph nodes that surround the stomach. There are several different types of stomach cancer. The most common is adenocarcinoma, which starts in the glandular cells of the stomach. Other types include lymphoma, which begins in the lymph cells; carcinoid tumors, which begin in hormone-producing stomach cells; and gastrointestinal stromal tumors, which start in special cells in the stomach lining.
In the earliest stages, stomach cancer can often be mistaken for other conditions like ulcers or infections. This is because the early symptoms are similar to those of other health problems, such as heartburn or indigestion. For this reason, many people ignore these early symptoms or don’t report them to a doctor. This can delay the diagnosis of stomach cancer and make it harder to treat.
As stomach cancer progresses, it can cause more severe and obvious signs and symptoms. This can include bleeding in the stomach or upper part of the small intestine. You might also notice blood in your vomit or stools. The color of the blood can vary from red to black depending on how long it has been in the stomach. Some people with stomach cancer also experience a feeling of fullness before they actually finish eating a meal (early satiety). The pain in the upper part of the belly can become more severe and be felt as if it is pressing on the bowel.
A loss of appetite can be caused by many things, including stomach cancer itself and the side effects of chemotherapy, immunotherapy or radiation therapy. It is important to let your health care team know if you are not feeling hungry or are not eating much. This can help make sure you get enough nutrients to keep you healthy.
Your healthcare team may order imaging tests, such as a computed tomography (CT) scan or an endoscopic ultrasound of your stomach and upper digestive tract, or a special type of X-ray called a barium swallow. These can help find out the cause of your lack of appetite and other symptoms, such as bloating or gassy feeling in your belly.
Most people with stomach cancer have nausea and vomiting at some point. Sometimes, there is blood in the vomit. If this happens, your health care team will ask you about the history of your stomach pain and symptoms to see if it is related to your cancer or its treatment.
You may also notice that your poop (pee) looks darker, like used coffee grounds. This can happen if the stomach cancer grows and starts to bleed. This can lead to a condition called anaemia, which means that you have fewer red blood cells in your body than usual.
There are several types of stomach cancer. The most common is adenocarcinoma, which starts in the tissue that lines the stomach. Other types of stomach cancer include lymphomas, which start in the cells that form the immune system; sarcomas, which start in different kinds of cells; and carcinoid cancer, which starts in hormone-producing cells. Some of these cancers can spread to other parts of the body, such as the lung or intestines.
Some types of stomach cancer can grow slowly and have few symptoms. These are called non-invasive, or stage 0 cancers. If these types of cancer are found early, they are easier to treat. If they are diagnosed at a later stage, the cancer may be more difficult to treat and it may spread.
Stomach cancer forms when cancerous cells start to grow in the lining of the stomach. Typically, these cancers are caused by a mutation in the DNA of the stomach cells. This mutation stops the cell from dying normally and causes it to overtake healthy cells and grow out of control. Cancer can also spread to other parts of the body.
Typically, stomach cancer doesn’t cause symptoms in its early stages. This means that many people don’t get diagnosed with stomach cancer until it is more advanced. When it does cause symptoms, they can include feeling bloated or gassy and stomach pain. Some people also vomit blood or have black stools.
If you notice blood in your stool or vomit, you should talk to your doctor right away. They may want to test your blood for signs of cancer. They will probably recommend an ultrasound of your stomach. You may also have other tests, like a blood test or a CT scan.
In general, if you see blood in your stool, you will have to drink lots of water. It is important to do this because it will help to stop the bleeding and prevent you from dehydration. You can also try a bland diet, such as soup and yogurt. This will help reduce the taste of the blood in your mouth.
Your stools might be black, which is called melenic. This is due to a rapid upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage. This can be from an artery in the stomach lining or from the first part of your intestine (duodenum) where there is a peptic ulcer. It can also be from the esophagus where there is a swollen vessel called esophageal varices.
The color of your stools can also help to diagnose the type of stomach cancer you have. Bleeding from a peptic ulcer will make your stools look bright red, while it will be dark brown or black if it is from the stomach cancer. The color of your stools can be affected by what you eat, too. For example, if you eat a lot of coffee, it can cause your stools to be tarry and look black.
Stomach cancer can make you feel very tired, especially if it has spread to the liver or bone marrow. This is because cancer can disrupt the normal production of blood cells. This can affect the number of white blood cells which help fight infection and red blood cells which carry oxygen to and from tissues. If the level of red blood cells drops, you may get anemia which causes fatigue.
Fatigue can also be a side effect of the chemotherapy drugs used to treat cancer. The type of chemotherapy and the doses used can vary from person to person and this will influence how long you might be feeling tired for. It is important that you tell your doctor about any symptoms you are experiencing, even if they don’t seem to be related to cancer. This means that they can try to find the cause and help you manage it.
Sometimes, stomach cancer can be found at an early stage when it is very small and has not yet caused any symptoms. This is because the cancer can be hidden by other conditions like a stomach bug, an ulcer or pregnancy. However, it is very important that you see your GP if you are worried about any symptoms as they can refer you to specialist doctors who can test you for cancer.
Typically, the first tests that will be carried out are a physical exam and a blood test to check for anemia. If there is a possibility that the tiredness is due to cancer, further tests may include an ultrasound scan of your abdomen or an upper endoscopy.
The tests will be arranged by your GP and they may refer you to specialist doctors, such as those who diagnose and treat digestive problems (gastroenterologists), cancer specialists or a surgeon who can operate on the stomach.
The best thing to do if you are feeling very tired is to rest as much as possible. Eat well and drink plenty of fluids. If you are able, try to participate in the activities that you normally do, as this can lift your spirits. If you are unable to, you might need to ask for help from family or friends.
Being diagnosed with stomach cancer can be overwhelming. Your healthcare provider will explain the details of your specific case and treatment plan.
Depending on your stage (how far the cancer has spread), you may get chemotherapy, surgery, radiation therapy or targeted drugs. You also might be able to join a clinical trial that studies new treatments for stomach cancer.
Chemotherapy uses powerful medicines to kill cancer cells. They can be given through a vein (IV) or taken as pills. Some types of chemotherapy work differently, and they may be used with other treatments.
The type of treatment you get depends on the stage of your stomach cancer. Your doctor will use your results from the tests to know which treatment is best for you.
Your doctor might give you chemo before surgery to shrink the tumor. This is called neoadjuvant chemotherapy. It can also be used to lower the risk that the cancer will come back after surgery. You might have radiation and chemo at the same time. This is called chemoradiation.
You might have radiation after surgery to kill any microscopic cancer cells that are left over. It can be used to treat both early and late-stage stomach cancers. You might have intensity-modulated radiation therapy or stereotactic body radiation therapy, which targets the specific shape of your tumor while avoiding nearby organs.
Some people have a procedure called endoscopic mucosal resection to remove small cancers from the inside lining of the stomach. This might be an option for stage 1 stomach cancer that grows on the inner lining of the stomach.
Radiation might not be needed for stage 1 stomach cancer, especially if the surgeon removed all of the cancer and there’s a low risk it will come back. It might also be an option if the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes or to other parts of the body, as long as the lymph nodes aren’t too far away from the stomach.
Radiation can cause side effects such as nausea, vomiting and hair loss. Your doctor might recommend a liquid diet during treatment to make these side effects less severe. Your doctor might also prescribe medicine to help you eat and to prevent nausea and vomiting. If you have a catheter or port, you might need to take medicine through a pump that’s attached to the catheter. The catheter is a thin tube that stays in a large vein, usually in your chest area. A pump is a machine that delivers the medication at a steady rate.
Cancer treatments use radiation, chemotherapy or targeted drug therapy to kill cancer cells and stop them from growing. The type of treatment your doctor recommends depends on the stage of your stomach cancer, how sensitive you are to treatment and other factors. The care team can help you manage side effects, so you feel as good as possible while you undergo treatment.
Chemotherapy is a powerful group of medicines that can destroy cancer cells. The most common type of chemotherapy involves a medicine that travels through your whole body to kill cancer cells in your stomach and other organs. It is given in cycles and may include chemotherapy that is injected into a vein (intravenous or IV) and chemotherapy that is taken by mouth as pills.
Radiation therapy uses high-powered beams of energy, such as X-rays or protons, to kill cancer cells. It is often used along with chemotherapy, and is sometimes called chemoradiation. Radiation can also be used to control pain and other symptoms that are bothering you, such as nausea or vomiting.
If your doctor finds a stomach cancer in early stages, surgery might be the first treatment. If the cancer is in later stages, other treatments might be needed before surgery to shrink the tumor and make it easier to remove.
For stage 4 stomach cancer, surgical removal might not be an option. This is because the cancer has likely spread to nearby tissues and organs. In these cases, other treatments might be needed to kill cancer cells and relieve symptoms.
One potential treatment is hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy, or HIPEC. During HIPEC, the surgeon puts a special chemotherapy medicine into your belly after they remove the tumor during surgery. Then the surgeon heats the medicine in your belly and drains it after a set amount of time.
Some studies show that adding chemotherapy and radiation to surgery improves your chances of living longer than surgery alone. However, more research is needed to understand the role of chemoradiation in patients with gastric cancer. You and your doctor might consider taking part in a clinical trial that is studying new ways to treat stomach cancer.
Cancerous cells need certain molecules to grow, spread and survive. Genomic tests can identify changes in the genes that produce these molecules, and target them with drugs to stop or slow tumor growth. These are called targeted therapies.
The specialists looking after you may use chemotherapy and radiation before surgery to kill cancer cells and shrink the tumors. They will discuss this with you in more detail, and explain how it might improve your symptoms.
Often, chemotherapy and radiation are given at the same time (neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy). This is sometimes more effective than giving them separately. It is also less likely to damage healthy tissue around the tumor, so your quality of life might be better afterwards.
Chemotherapy can be taken in cycles with rest periods between. This is usually the case for targeted drug therapy too. You might get pills that you swallow, a drip into a vein in your arm or an injection under the skin. You will take these drugs for a long time, depending on what type you have and your response.
You may be given a drug that targets the proteins inside the cancer cell or on its surface. The drug can then attach to the protein and block it, or it can interfere with how the protein works. It might stop it from going where it should go, or it might prevent the cancer cell from getting the nutrients it needs to grow and divide.
Other targeted drugs stop cancer cells from growing new blood vessels that they need for food and oxygen. They might also stop the cancer cells from releasing waste products that they need to grow.
Some targeted drugs are monoclonal antibodies that recognise and attack specific proteins on the surface of cancer cells. They are usually given in combination with systemic chemotherapy or radiotherapy, but can be used on their own too.
Your immune system helps to keep you healthy by attacking germs and other cells that shouldn’t be there. Some cancers, however, hide from the immune system and are difficult to detect and treat. Immunotherapy uses medicines that encourage your own immune system to fight the cancer, and is usually used with chemotherapy or radiation for advanced stomach cancer or for cancer that comes back after treatment.
Immunotherapy involves drugs that help your own immune system fight cancer. It’s a newer treatment option and may be used alone or in combination with chemotherapy, radiation therapy and/or targeted drug therapies.
Your immune system is your body’s defense against germs and other foreign substances that can cause illness. It consists of white blood cells and organs and tissues like the thymus, spleen, tonsils, bone marrow and lymph nodes. Your immune system also has special proteins called checkpoints that act like switches to turn your immune response on or off. Cancer cells sometimes use these checkpoints to evade your immune system and grow uncontrollably. Drugs that target these proteins, called immune checkpoint inhibitors, can help your immune system find and destroy cancer cells.
For example, a new immunotherapy treatment called nivolumab (Opdivo) or pembrolizumab (Keytruda) targets the PD-1 protein on immune system cells. This helps your immune system recognize and attack cancer cells, including stomach cancer cells. These drugs can shrink some tumors and slow cancer growth, particularly in HER2-positive cancer.
Another type of immunotherapy is T-cell transfer therapy or CAR T-cell therapy, which involves reprogramming your own immune system to target cancer more effectively. Your care team will take T cells from a piece of surgically removed tumor and increase their numbers significantly in the lab to make them much more effective cancer killers. These cells are then returned to your body to fight the cancer.
Other types of immunotherapy involve giving your immune system a boost by injecting modified immune cells directly into your body. These modified cells can either mark cancer cells with special proteins that your immune system can detect or they can directly kill cancer cells.
Lastly, your doctor can give you monoclonal antibodies that are made in the laboratory to directly target and kill cancer cells. These are given through IV and can be used alone or in combination with other treatments.
As one of the nation’s leading cancer centers, MD Anderson offers innovative immunotherapy treatments for all stages of stomach cancer. You can discuss all of your options with your medical team during a personal consultation.
Cancer in the stomach occurs when cells in the lining of your stomach change and grow out of control. Stomach cancer usually grows slowly over several years before it’s diagnosed.
Adenocarcinoma of the stomach is the most common type of stomach cancer. It starts in the glandular tissue lining the stomach.
Stomach cancer starts in cells in the inner lining of your stomach. It develops when something damages your stomach’s cells and causes changes in their DNA. The damaged DNA tells the cells to grow and multiply too quickly. The extra cells may overtake healthy cells and form a tumor. They also may spread (metastasize) to other parts of your body. This type of cancer often doesn’t cause symptoms in its early stages. If it does, the symptoms are usually indigestion and pain in the upper part of your belly. Later stage symptoms may include feeling very tired, losing weight without trying, vomiting blood and having black stools.
Most of the time, your doctor can cure this kind of cancer by removing your entire stomach (gastrectomy). Your doctor might also use radiation therapy and chemotherapy to help prevent the cancer from coming back or to treat it once it has spread.
Adenocarcinoma can also start in other glandular tissue of the digestive tract, such as the lining of your esophagus, colon and pancreas. In these places, it’s less common but still happens. It can also affect the lymph nodes and connective tissue throughout the body.
Your risk of this type of cancer depends on your age and your family history of it. Other risks include having a family history of digestive disorders such as peptic ulcers, stomach polyps or inflammatory bowel disease; having a diet high in salty, pickled, fermented or smoked foods; and having a condition called hereditary diffuse gastric cancer, familial adenomatous polyposis, Lynch syndrome or Peutz-Jeghers syndrome. Men are twice as likely to get stomach cancer as women.
Other types of cancer in the digestive tract occur less frequently. Lymphomas can develop from lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell that fights infection. Sarcomas are cancers that form from tissue like muscle, fat or blood vessels. Metastatic cancers from other parts of the body are sometimes found in the digestive tract, including melanoma and carcinoma of the skin.
Stomach cancer starts in cells that line the stomach’s inner lining. The most common type is adenocarcinoma, which develops in the innermost cells. It accounts for around 9 in 10 cases of stomach cancer.
Other types of stomach cancer develop in cells that line the middle or outer layers of the stomach. These include squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma with lymphoid stroma. It’s rare for this subtype to occur in the proximal stomach, and it usually has a less aggressive clinical course. It often follows a pattern of gradual progression and is diagnosed later than other types of stomach cancer.
The other main types of stomach cancer are lymphomas and sarcomas. Lymphomas start in cells that make up the immune system, and sarcomas are tumors that begin in connective tissue (muscle, fat or blood vessels). Less common types of stomach cancer include gastrointestinal stromal tumors, which begin in special cells that form the lining of the stomach; carcinoid tumors, which start in hormone-producing cells; and neuroendocrine tumors, which start in the nerve or hormone-making cells of the stomach.
Stomach cancer occurs when there’s a mutation, or change, in the DNA of stomach cells. Cancerous (malignant) cells grow faster than normal cells and may overtake and replace healthy cells. Over time, these cancerous cells can spread to other parts of the body.
Some people’s genes increase their risk of developing stomach cancer. For example, the bacteria Helicobacter pylori can cause ulcers in the lining of the stomach, and some people with this condition have precancerous changes in their cells. Other risk factors for stomach cancer include age, a family history of stomach cancer, diet, lifestyle and geography.
The stage of a stomach cancer describes how far the cancer has spread. A person’s symptoms, if any, also help doctors determine the stage of their stomach cancer. The staging system uses numbers (1 through 4) and may also use letters A, B, E and S to further describe the stage. The letter A means that the cancer is limited to the stomach lining; the letter B indicates that the cancer has spread to one or more nearby lymph nodes; and the letter E describes whether the cancer has spread to the spleen.
Sarcomas are a type of cancer that starts in the soft tissues of the body. There are many different types of sarcoma, and they can start in any part of the body. Most sarcomas develop in the arms or legs, but about 30% begin in the trunk (torso) or abdomen, and 10% occur in the head or neck. They can grow rapidly and often cause pain, especially if they are pressing on nearby nerves or blood vessels.
In rare cases, sarcomas can spread from other parts of the body to the stomach. This type of cancer is usually more common in children and adolescents, but it can occur at any age. It’s also more likely to affect men than women. Some sarcomas are hereditary, and people with certain genetic syndromes are more likely to get them.
The most common type of sarcoma that begins in the stomach is called gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST). This cancer can start in the tissues that make up the lining of the stomach or at the junction where the stomach meets the esophagus. It’s often linked to long periods of inflammation and irritation in the stomach, which can be caused by infection with a bacteria called Helicobacter pylori, obesity, or a diet high in salted, pickled, or smoked foods.
GISTs are more common in younger people and in people with specific genetic syndromes, including hereditary diffuse gastric cancer (caused by a mutation in a gene called CDH1), familial adenomatous polyposis, Lynch syndrome, juvenile-polyposis syndrome, and Peutz-Jeghers syndrome.
Doctors may find a sarcoma in the stomach by feeling or palpating the area for any lumps or bumps. X-rays and CT scans can help them figure out the size of the lump and whether it’s solid or filled with fluid. A biopsy is needed to confirm the diagnosis and determine the type of sarcoma.
Stomach cancer — also called gastric cancer — starts in the inner lining of the stomach. Between 90 and 95 percent of all stomach cancers are adenocarcinomas. These start in the glandular tissue and may grow into a tumor that can spread beyond the stomach to other organs. A few other types of stomach cancer include lymphomas, sarcomas, and neuroendocrine tumors. Cancers that start in other parts of the body can spread to the stomach, most often from the liver. These are usually metastatic cancers, but sometimes they can be primary cancers that start in the stomach.
Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are rare cancers that start in cells of the nervous and endocrine systems. These cells make and release hormones that control many different processes, such as digestive juice production, the movement of food through the stomach and intestines, and the muscles used in breathing and swallowing.
Most NETs start in the pancreas (called pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors or PNETs), but some can also start in the lining of the stomach, the small intestine, the large intestine, and the area where the esophagus joins the stomach (called gastroenteropancreatic junction NETs). They can either grow slowly and not cause symptoms, or they can be aggressive and spread to other tissues and organs.
Some NETs produce symptoms such as abdominal pain or diarrhea. These symptomatic NETs are usually diagnosed by chance when people see a doctor for other health problems, such as gallbladder disease or unexplained weight loss. Other NETs do not produce symptoms and are only discovered by chance when someone has an imaging test, such as an X-ray or CT scan, for another reason, such as a broken bone or pregnancy.
Almost all stomach cancers develop when healthy cells in the inner lining of the stomach develop changes in their DNA, which are the instructions that tell the cell what to do. These changes allow the cells to multiply faster than normal and to keep growing even after healthy cells would normally die as part of their natural life cycle. The extra cells can form a mass of abnormal growth that doctors call a tumor. To diagnose tumors of the gastrointestinal neuroendocrine system, your doctor may use a special type of PET scan that uses medically safe amounts of radioactive sugar molecules to help find and identify cancer cells.