In view of the increasing cases of cancer, awareness about cancer has started increasing among the people. However, even today very few people talk about stomach cancer. Very few people know that it is the fourth most common cause of death due to cancer in India, despite this stomach cancer is still underestimated. The stomach is this part of our body, which stores our food and helps the intestine in digesting food.

In such a situation, stomach cancer affects our health and life. According to a data from GLOBOCAN 2022, stomach cancer is one of the major concerns in India, especially in men (Stomach cancer symptoms in men). Due to high mortality rate, it is considered the fifth most common cancer in the world. In such a situation, let us know from Dr. Arun Kumar Goyal, Director of Surgical Oncology at Andromeda Cancer Hospital, about the reason for increasing stomach cancer in India and its symptoms-

Why are stomach cancer cases increasing?

Doctors say that this cancer is more prevalent in urban areas due to lifestyle, changes in eating habits and carcinogens like tobacco and alcohol. Apart from this, the disease becomes more severe in rural areas due to lack of easy access to diagnosis and treatment.

Asia alone accounts for more than 70% of stomach cancer cases worldwide and is more common in India due to its large population and changing risk factors. In such a situation, to prevent it, it is necessary to improve eating habits, reduce salt and processed food and control Helicobacter pylori infection.

Why is stomach cancer so dangerous?

Stomach cancer is considered a matter of concern because the tumor caused in it naturally grows rapidly and is highly fatal. Apart from this, the symptoms of stomach cancer can be very vague and sometimes confusing. In such a situation, do not make the mistake of ignoring it if you see the following symptoms-

• Acidity and stomach ache
• Low hemoglobin level
• Rapid weight loss
• Loss of appetite

What are the risk facts?

Most stomach cancers are associated with poor lifestyle habits. Some of its modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors are as follows -

Modifiable risk factors -

• Diet- Diet plays an important role in good health. In such a situation, unhealthy eating habits can cause stomach cancer.
• Fruits and Vegetables - Several studies have indicated that eating low amounts of fruits and vegetables increases the risk of developing stomach cancer.
• Eating too much salt- Eating too much salt increases the risk of high blood pressure, but it is a lesser known fact that it also increases the risk of stomach cancer. Most of the salt is consumed through foods like pickles, pickled vegetables, breads, cereals, ready-made foods, pickled fish and meats.
• Red and processed meats – People at risk for heart disease usually limit their intake of red meat due to its high cholesterol content, but red and processed meats are also linked to an increased risk of stomach cancer.
• Smoked foods and smoking- Smoking foods releases carcinogenic compounds, which are chemicals that cause cancer. Eating such foods on a regular basis not only increases the risk of stomach cancer, but also cancer in the rest of the GI tract.
• Smoking and drinking – Tobacco in any form (smoking or chewing tobacco) has been linked to an increased risk of stomach cancer. Smokers also have a 3 times greater risk of stomach cancer than non-smokers. As the stomach releases acid, creating an acidic environment, drinking too much alcohol (which is also acidic) damages the stomach lining, increasing the risk of stomach cancer.
• Certain conditions and deficiencies – Inflammation of the stomach, severe anemia due to vitamin B-12 deficiency, polyps, obesity, infection with H. pylori bacteria (if untreated) also increase the risk of stomach cancer.

Non-modifiable risk factors

• Age – Various reports have shown that increasing age, especially above 75 years, increases the risk of stomach cancer.
• Gender - Data from GLOBECAN 2020 shows that men are twice as likely to develop the disease than women. As of 2018, stomach cancer is the third most common cancer in men.
• Genetic causes – Family history of stomach cancer, blood type A, or inherited conditions such as Li-Fraumeni syndrome and familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) are associated with a higher risk of stomach cancer.