Stomach cancer, also referred to as gastric cancer, is a buildup of abnormal cells that form a mass in part of the stomach.
According to the WHO (World Health Organization), 723,000 cancer-related deaths are caused by stomach cancer every year all over teh world. It’s considered to be the 5th most common cancer worldwide, but the 3rd leading cause of cancer-related deaths.
In the US, there are approximately 25,500 new cases of stomach cancer every year. It represents 2% of all new cancers diagnosed in the country.
The majority of people who are diagnosed with stomach cancer either already have metastasis or eventually develop it. Metastasis happens when the cancer spreads from the area in which it first developed.
Around 90-95% of all stomach cancers are a type referred to as adenocarcinoma of the stomach. In this type, the cancer develops from the cells that form mucosa, the most superficial lining of the stomach that produces mucus.
