Due my family medical history of stomach disorders, I have a sensitive stomach (my only boss as I like to call it). From my experience stress and bad eating habits are aggravating factors. My worst fear is stomach cancer.Why? Stomach cancer is more readily treated when caught early. Unfortunately, by the time it causes symptoms, the disease is often at an advanced stage and may have spread beyond the stomach. Yet there is encouraging news. You can reduce your risk of this serious cancer by making a few changes in your lifestyle.
As for all cancers, the exact reason why one person gets stomach cancer and another does not remains unknown. However, several things have been noted, when looking at groups of patients, that increase cancer risk.
These “risk factors” are:
- Lack of Refrigeration is seen in countries with a high level of stomach cancer, as used to be the situation in the U.S.A. prior to 1940 (when cases were very high). Preservatives like nitrates, which were commonly used before refrigerators, may be contributory.
- Increased Smoked and Salted Food intake appears related to stomach cancer, and may be related to lack of refrigeration in third-world countries today.
- Low Fruits and Vegetables in the diet, and high fat, is related to many “aerodigestive” (mouth, throat, lungs and gastrointestinal system) cancers, possibly by depriving the body of vitamins like”A” and “E” which appear protective for cancers. On the other hand, lots of fruits and vegetables appear to lower risk.
- Chemical “Carcinogens” like rubber by products, coal tar and asbestos have increased cancers in industrial workers. However, Alcohol and Tobacco do not seem to increase stomach cancer risk.
- Long Standing Ulcers, especially those on the lower curvature, may become malignant over time. A common bacteria, called Heliobacter Pylori, is found in many ulcers and may increase cancer risk over time. Overall, however, less than 2% of ulcers ever become cancerous.
- Prior Stomach Surgery, where part of the stomach is removed (”partial gastrectomy”) for bleeding ulcers, has about a 5% chance of stomach cancer after a “latent period” of as much as 40 years.
- Achlorhydria means no stomach acid, this is seen in a rare syndrome called “achlorhydria-gastric polyposis”– these patients have a 30% chance of getting stomach cancer. Any ulcer in a patient with no stomach acid has almost a 100% chance of being cancerous!
- Rare Genetic Diseases such as Plummer-Vinson syndrome (10% lifetime risk)
- Peutz-Jeghers syndrome with multiple polyps have a higher risk. Any polyps in the stomach that are “villous” (as opposed to the more common harmatomatous type) have increased risk for becoming cancerous, just like for colon cancer. However, villous polyps in the stomach are quite rare. Pernicious anemia is caused by the failure of parietal cells in the stomach to secrete the “intrinsic factor” needed by the intestine to uptake vitamin B12; then cancer risk is increased.
- Race- Even after equalizing all of the above factors, Orientals, Blacks and Hispanic individuals get stomach cancer more commonly than Whites. This may be due to some pre-existing genetic susceptibility to stomach cancer.
Do you find this topic interesting? If so, please let me know. Most of my articles ideas come from reader comments! Stay hale and hearty!
January 9th, 2007 at 11:21 am
as much as i like to read about beauty, it’s important to be beautiful, healthy and glowing from the inside out. so yes, i enjoyed your article. healthy reminder is what i call it =)
November 1st, 2007 at 6:35 pm
Thank you for that, I didn´t know that the wrong food can support cancer - what a fool to think that but know I am wiser!
December 5th, 2007 at 7:03 pm
Wow , that would be scary to have this cancer. thanks for the remidner to be healthy.
December 10th, 2007 at 4:16 pm
I am really afraid of cancer, I have seen so many people having to fight with it!
December 10th, 2007 at 7:12 pm
I hope they soon find a cure for it.
December 11th, 2007 at 12:36 pm
yes, let’s hope!
December 14th, 2007 at 9:14 pm
I think it will only take some more years since they’re already working on it!