Main Causes of Gastric Cancer
The main causes of gastric cancer are mostly unknown, but there are some people who are more prone to be diagnosed with the disease than others. There could be many reasons why a person will be diagnosed with gastric cancer. Most gastric cancers do not affect people until they are in their fifties, and men are twice as probable to be diagnosed than women. Some cultures are diagnosed with gastric cancer more than others. Japan has a higher rate of gastric cancer compared to the United States, and African Americans are more prone to be diagnosed with the disease than others. Iceland and Chile are also countries that have higher rates of Gastric Cancer. If there is a family history of gastric cancer a person may have a higher chance of being diagnosed. People in a type A blood group are more prone to be diagnosed with gastric cancer than any other blood type. People who have acid reflux are also more likely to be diagnosed. Acid reflux is associated with the back flow of gastric acid into the esophagus, which can cause severe heartburn.
Being diagnosed with a Helicobacter Pylori Infection can cause gastric cancer if it begins to inflame the stomach lining, causes ulcers, or gives a person severe indigestion, which can multiply a persons chances of being diagnosed. Helicobacter Pylori infections are one of the leading causes of gastric cancer. However, many physicians believe that the causes of ulcers, inflammation, and indigestion are due to stomach cancer that ends up causing inflammations and infections. Helicobacter Pylori is a bacteria that affects the beginning of the stomach lining. Alcohol and tobacco are two elements that can cause gastric cancer. Heavy smokers have a higher chance of being diagnosed with the cancer. Gastric cancer that is due to smoking will often start in the esophagus nearer to the upper part of the stomach area. If a person has a disease where the lining of the stomach wastes away, called Atrophic Gastritis, it could lead to gastric cancer. If a persons body does not assimilate enough Vitamin B12 they can be diagnosed with pernicious anemia or megaloblastic anemia, which can then lead to gastric cancer. Other factors are obesity and diet. Nitrosamines which are prevalent in smoked meat and salt have been known to increase a persons risk of getting gastric cancer, as well as a diet that is low on healthy foods, such as vegetables or fruit. Stomach polyps are also a concern for probable causes of gastric cancer.
If polyps are over a certain size it is more likely to lead to gastric cancer. Contaminated foods that contain aflatoxin fungus and mycotoxins have been associated with gastric cancer. Fungi contamination can happen during the processing, storing, or during the pre-harvesting stages of food. Experts have believed that gastric cancer is higher in other parts of the world where contamination is more frequent due to the lack of resources needed to prevent contamination. Menetrier disease is another infection that has been associated with gastric cancer because it is a disorder that leads to the enlargement of the gastric mucosal. This disease will cause the stomach to waste away, which in turn creates a situation where the stomach loses fluid which contains an important protein known as albumin. The Menetrier disease can cause an intestinal metaplasia which leads to gastric cancer.