Stomach Cancer / Gastric Cancer

Stomach cancer death rates are some of the highest of any cancer for Patients of Color.

Stomach cancer is the fifth most common cancer and the third most common cause of cancer death globally. In the US, People of Color are more likely to get and die from stomach cancer than the general population.

In fact, Black and Hispanic Americans are almost 2x more likely to get and die from stomach cancer than non-Hispanic White Americans. What’s worse is that the US does not have screening guidelines for stomach cancer as it does for colorectal or breast cancers.

The good news is that this does not have to be the case. Stomach cancer is preventable and curable if diagnosed early. But that means we must learn about the risks, signs, and symptoms of stomach cancer and go to our doctor and ask for screening.

When we share our health care journey, we can inspire someone who looks like us to act, which may improve their outcomes and, in this case, save their life.

Underrepresented communities are at
increased risk of dying from stomach cancer

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Hispanic American Community

Hispanic Americans have the second highest rate of dying from stomach cancer.

Compared to the general population, Hispanic American men are 60% more likely to get stomach cancer, and Hispanic American women are two times more likely to get stomach cancer.

Hispanic American men and women also have a higher risk of getting stomach cancer before they are 50 years old.

Hispanic Americans tend to have a higher rate of cancer when a virus causes them. For stomach cancer, H. pylori, a bacterium, is a major cause of stomach cancer.

African American Community

African American men are 1.8 times more likely to get stomach cancer, and African American women are 2.2 times more likely to get stomach cancer than the general population.

The statistics are worse when it comes to the death rate for stomach cancer. The death rates for stomach cancer are 2.6 times higher in African American men and 2.3 times higher in African American women compared to the general population. These are the highest rates of any community.

The most critical risk factor for stomach cancer in the Black community is H. pylori, which is a bacterium infection more common in African Americans and Hispanic Americans compared to the general population.

Asian American Community

Asians represent only about 6% of the US population, although they represent 60% of the world population. Asian populations have a high risk of getting stomach cancer, even if they are living in the US.

Asian men and women have the highest rates of stomach cancer, around double compared to the general population. A recent study in California showed the risk is even higher when you break this community down by subgroup. It showed that Koreans, Vietnamese, Japanese, and Chinese people have an even higher risk of stomach cancer.

Korean people have the highest risk, 13 times more than non-Hispanic White people
Vietnamese people have seven times more than non-Hispanic White people
Japanese and Chinese people have five times more times than non-Hispanic White people

Asian people tend to have a higher rate of cancer when a virus causes them. For stomach cancer, H. pylori, a bacterium, is a major cause of stomach cancer. The number of cases of H. pylori is much higher in Asia. It is only about 10%-20% of the population in the US, but in Asian countries, it can be as high as 80%. We know that recent immigrants from countries with higher rates of H. pylori are at higher risk of developing stomach cancer.

What are the risk factors for stomach cancer?

There are many risk factors for stomach cancer. They include lifestyle, genetic or inherited conditions, and swelling (or inflammation) in the stomach’s lining.

Suppose you have any of the risk factors listed below. In that case, you are at greater risk of getting stomach cancer, so it is essential to talk to your doctor about these risks. You can take many steps to reduce your risk and prevent stomach cancer.

Lifestyle risk factors:

Smoking
Alcohol use: If you have three or more alcoholic drinks a day, you are at higher risk for stomach cancer
Diet: Avoid eating a lot of foods that are high in salt, smoked, or pickled. Eat more whole grains, fresh fruits, and vegetables. Properly nourishing your body can help prevent unwanted changes in your stomach lining.
Weight and exercise: Obesity may put you at higher risk for stomach cancer. Exercise regularly and keep your body at a healthy weight to lower your risk for stomach cancer.

Health conditions that increase your risk for stomach cancer:

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori): This bacterium can infect and inflame the stomach. Diagnosing this infection can be tricky because it often has no symptoms. If someone has H. pylori for decades, they develop chronic inflammation, which can lead to cancer.
Stomach lesions: A lesion is an area of stomach tissue that is not normal and may turn into stomach cancer
Stomach ulcers: Open sore on the lining of the stomach
Autoimmune gastritis

Genetic and inherited risk factors:

Heritage or Ethnicity: You are at greater risk if you are of Asian, Eastern European, or South American heritage
People with type A blood are at higher risk.
Several hereditary conditions can also raise your risk, including mutations in specific genes, such as CDH1, CTNNA1, BRCA1, or BRCA2.

Speak to your doctor about getting screened and tested for these mutations if you have a close family member who had stomach cancer.

Ask for a stomach cancer screening, if you are at high risk!

In the US, because we do not have national screening guidelines, we do not screen as often and catch stomach cancer early. Only 30% of patients who are diagnosed with stomach cancer survive past five years. In other countries, like Japan and Korea, where they have national stomach cancer screening programs, the five-year survival is 60%-70%.

So, it is up to you! Early-stage stomach cancer rarely causes symptoms. The symptoms that do occur are nonspecific, making them harder to detect and diagnose. That is why it is so vital that you talk to your doctor if you feel like you are at high risk for stomach cancer. Ask to be tested for H. pylori and screened for stomach cancer.

What if you have been diagnosed with stomach cancer?

First, don’t lose hope. There are many FDA-approved treatment options, even to treat more advanced stomach cancer. Work with your doctor and consult an oncologist, a specialist who identifies and treats cancers.

Have you considered joining a clinical trial?
If you are interested in joining a clinical trial or if you want to learn more—Let’s get connected. We can help you identify a clinical trial that is the best fit for you.

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