Gastric Cancer is a cancer that occurred in the stomach. It is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers worldwide. It developed from the cell lining of the stomach and can spread to other organs like the liver, spleen and many more. There are few types of gastric cancer which can be classified based on their histological features, genotypes and molecular phenotypes.

There are a few types of gastric cancer. The most common type of gastric cancer is Adenocarcinoma. It is originated from the mucosal layer of the stomach and it represents 90% of gastric cancer. Another type of gastric cancer is Lymphoma. It is a type of cancer that originated from cells of the immune system that can be found in the wall of the stomach. The next one is gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST). It is a rare type of cancer that originated from the cell walls of the stomach called interstitial cells of Cajal. There are also other types of gastric cancer like carcinoid tumor, squamous cell carcinoma, small cell carcinoma and leiomyosarcoma.

There are a lot of reasons for getting gastric cancer. The most common reason is bacterial infection from Helicobacter Pylori. This type of bacteria can remain in the stomach and cause chronic inflammation (gastritis) or ulceration of the stomach. If it is not treated earlier, it will further develop into a cancer. The next reason for having gastric cancer is due to high in salt diet. The high amount of salt in our blood will induce Helicobacter Pylori infection plus, salt can damage the mucosal layer of the stomach. High intake of nitrates and nitrites (from preserved meat) can also increase the chances of getting Helicobacter Pylori infection. Family history of stomach cancer may cause an individual to get this cancer.

An individual that is having other medical issues such as mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma, a type of stomach cancer can increase the chance of getting adenocarcinoma of the stomach. Gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) is also another reason for getting gastric cancer because the acid can cause the inflammation of the stomach and can cause cancer if occurred for a long time. A person who is having a previous stomach surgery is also at a risk of having gastric cancer. This is because as some part of the stomach is being removed, the acid production decreased and this cause a less acidic condition in the stomach and it boosts up the growth of bacteria and more toxins will be produced and hence, gastric cancer.

There are a few things that have been identified that increase a person’s risks of developing gastric cancer. These include a diet high in salt, smoked foods and pickled foods. Tobacco and alcohol use are also the main risk factor of gastric cancer. Individuals that are having a family history of stomach cancer, obesity, infection by the Helicobacter Pylori bacteria which can cause the damage of gastric tissues and will further cause peptic ulcers that can lead to stomach cancer. Other risk factors such as people that have past gastroenterostomy, individuals with blood type A, old aged people (60–70 years) and people with chronic stomach inflammation may also have high chances of getting gastric cancer. The percentage of males develop stomach cancer is approximately twice the rate of females.

The gastric tumor cell looks resembles the inner layer of the stomach. Adenocarcinoma can be divided into diffuse or undifferentiated and intestinal or well-differentiated types. The differentiated tumor cells look like normal stomach cells and grow poorly and at a slow rate. The undifferentiated tumor cells look very different from the stomach cells that grow quickly. The undifferentiated types of the stomach cancer may be harder to treat. Another histological signs for gastric cancer is breakage of the inner lining of the stomach caused by inflammation and death of the cells.

The symptoms of stomach cancer are shown in many illnesses which include abdominal pain or discomfort, unexplained weight loss, a sense of fullness even after a small meal, heartburn, indigestion, vomiting blood, poor appetite and digestion, anemia and sometimes visible swelling in the abdomen.

There is no specific laboratory test for stomach cancer. The disease is usually diagnosed through a combination of visual means. The first examination is clinical examination which includes the examination of the abdomen to identify any swellings of the abdomens or any of the lymph nodes. Another method is by endoscopic examination. A physician can inspect the lining of the stomach with an endoscope. The endoscope can also be used to take samples from potentially cancerous tissues for biopsy. These samples are examined under a microscope for signs of cancer.

An endoscope may also be modified with a special probe that emits sound waves in the stomach, which allows the physician to create an image of the stomach wall. During the gastroscopy, an endoscopic ultrasound can be performed at the same time. It provides images of the different layers of the stomach wall as well as the nearby lymph nodes and other structures. This method is to see how far the cancer has spreads in the stomach wall into nearby tissues or lymph nodes.

X-rays are also employed; usually after the patient has swallowed barium compound that coats provides better image contrast. Other imaging techniques such as CT scans and MRI are also used, especially when the cancer is believed to have spread both locally and to other parts of the body. Then, a histopathological exam is performed. The tissue sample is taken to the laboratories to be examined. Using the microscope and several tests, pathologist will confirm the characteristics of the cancer. Finally, a laparoscopy is performed when stomach cancer is already found out and when operation is expected. It is to confirm that the cancer is still only in the stomach and thus can be removed completely by surgery. Once stomach cancer has been diagnosed, its stage is determined. The stage is an indicator of how far the cancer has progressed. Staging for stomach cancer is complicated and is based on a combination of how far the cancer has grown through the stomach wall and on the number of lymph nodes affected, if any. Stage 0 stomach cancer is also called carcinoma in situ and is confined to the mucosal lining of the stomach. It is when the abnormal cells are only found in the inner layer of the stomach mucosa. Stage I and stage II cancers have spread into the connective tissue or muscle layers that underlie the mucosa, but they have reached fewer than six nearby lymph nodes. Stage III and IV cancers are more advanced and may have metastasized to distant tissues and have affected more than 15 lymph nodes. If the cancer is diagnosed very early, the percentage of individual to survive stomach cancer is very high and usually they go on to live long, healthy lives. However, the percentage of people that is diagnosed early with gastric cancer is very low because at early stage it usually shows a little signs that may be mistakenly diagnosed as acute gastritis or sometimes they are asymptomatic. Cancers of the upper stomach have a lower survival rate when compared to lower stomach cancer and if the cancer has spread to distant tissues in the body, the survival rate is extremely low. There are few suggestion of treatments can be given to gastric cancer patients. One of it is by surgery and it is the only method available for curing stomach cancer by removing the tumor with part or all of the stomach. Removal of the lymph nodes and other organs invaded by the cancer cell are also advisable. Radiation or chemotherapy may be used in conjunction with surgery to relieve symptoms and to destroy any remaining cancer cells. When stomach cancer has spread to distant organs, chemotherapy may be required so that as many cancer cells as possible can be sought out and destroyed. Another ways to cure gastric cancer is by the repair of the stomach which generally requires permanent changes in diet and may demand intravenous administration of vitamin supplements. In order to prevent ourselves from getting gastric cancer, we can reduce the intake of foods that are salted, smoked, or pickled and we should take diets that are high in fruits and vegetables. We also need to get rid the habits of tobacco smoking and alcohol consumptions. Another way to prevent gastric cancer is to inhibit the activities of Helicobacter Pylori. It the main reason for degradation of the mucosal lining of the stomach that protects the stomach layer from getting in contact with acid. If we prevent the bacteria from growing, we can prevent the development of gastric tumor with the help of antibiotics.