192

192

Stomach cancer is cancer that occurs in the stomach. Another term for stomach cancer is gastric cancer. Besides excessive intake of salt and smoked foods, other risk factors for stomach cancer include:
Smoking
Alcohol abuse
Low diet in fruits and vegetables
High diet in slated or smoked foods
Previous stomach surgery (such as the removal of stomach tissue due to an ulcer)
Age: people older than 50 are more likely to develop the disease; it occurs most often in people in their 60s and 70s
Family history of stomach cancer
Preventing stomach cancer:
Early detection is the key to surviving stomach cancer
Lifestyle changes, such as smoking cessation and eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, can potentially reduce the risk of stomach cancer
Treatment of H. pylori infection (a common bacterial infection of the stomach) can decrease the risk of stomach cancer development
Knowing your family history and discussing it with your healthcare provider can help determine if you are at risk for inherited cancer syndromes