Stomach cancer

Stomach cancer (also called gastric cancer) can develop in any part of the stomach and may spread throughout the stomach and to other organs; particularly the esophagus and the small intestine.

It may also spread, through the stomach wall, to nearby lymph nodes and organs such as the liver, pancreas, and the lungs, or to distant organs such as the lymph nodes above the collar bone, the colon, and the ovaries.

Metastasis (the spread of cancer from its primary site to other places in the body) to the ovaries can result in Krukenberg tumors.

Stomach cancer represents roughly 2% (21,500) cases of all new cancer cases yearly in the United States, but it is much more common in Japan, Great Britain, South America, and Iceland.

It is associated with high salt in the diet, smoking, and low intake of fruits and vegetables.

Infection with H.

pylori is the main risk factor in about 80% or more of gastric cancers.

It is more common in men..

Metastasis

Metastasis is the spread of cancer from its primary site to other places in the body (e.g., brain, liver).

Cancer cells can break away from a primary tumor, penetrate into lymphatic and blood vessels, circulate through the bloodstream, and grow in a distant focus (metastasize) in normal tissues elsewhere in the body.

Tumor

Tumor (American English) or tumour (British English) originally means “swelling”, and is sometimes still used with that meaning.

Tumor meaning swelling is one of the five classical characteristics of inflammation.

However, the term is now primarily used to denote abnormal growth of tissue.