The Mysterious Rise of Stomach Cancer

As horrible as cancer is, it’s even worse when found in young people — which makes what I’m about to tell you especially upsetting. Doctors have noticed an uptick in cases of stomach cancer among young adults, even while overall stomach cancer rates are declining. What does this mean? What can we do?

Here’s the worrisome story: The last three decades have seen a small but statistically significant increase in one particular type of gastric cancer among Caucasians under age 39. This is quite an anomaly because this disease usually strikes older folks, I learned from Charles Rabkin, MD, the senior investigator at the National Cancer Institute of the US National Institutes of Health who identified this unsettling trend in a recent study. He is concerned about this apparent increase yet cautions that further research is necessary to dig deeper and understand why it’s happening.

In an analysis of 1977-2006 data from the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program, Dr. Rabkin and his team found 83,225 adults with new primary gastric cancer, including 39,003 noncardia cancers (cancers of the lower stomach). In comparing differences in cancer rates according to age, race and other factors, they discovered that…

  • Overall, fewer people are getting cancer of the lower stomach. The latest figures are as follows — four cases per 100,000 whites, down from 5.9 … 9.5 down from 13.7 in blacks … and 11.7 down from 17.8 in other races.
  • In white adults between ages 60 and 84, the rate dropped significantly from 19.8 to 12.8… in those 40 to 59, it declined from 2.6 to 2… but in young whites age 25 to 39, the rate increased from 0.27 to 0.45.
  • The rates declined or remained stable in all age groups among other races.

“We don’t know why this is happening,” Dr. Rabkin told me. One possibility connects to a topic we’ve covered a few times before — most noncardia cancers are associated with Helicobacter pylori infection, and it may be that the widespread eradication of H. pyloribacteria has triggered new carcinogenic processes involving other bacteria in young people. Another theory is that long-term antacid use in some way contributes to the problem, because these medications create an environment that favors the types of bacteria that cause inflammation and lead to cancer. Also, cancer of the lower stomach is linked with diets high in salt and low in fresh fruits and vegetables — and Americans consume too much sodium and too little fresh produce.

These results were published in the May 2010 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association.

What You Can Do

Stomach cancer symptoms include fatigue, bloating, feeling full after eating little, heartburn, nausea, stomach pain, vomiting (most especially vomiting blood) and weight loss. Some of these symptoms occur for everyone from time to time, but if they’re uncharacteristic for you — and especially if they’re persistent — see your doctor.

Dr. Rabkin emphasizes the importance of a healthful diet and two simple rules in order to protect yourself from stomach cancer and other digestive disorders. In particular:

  • Cut salt consumption. Excess sodium is known to be associated with an increased risk for cancer of the lower stomach — and according to the latest figures, 90% of Americans now eat too much sodium, primarily from packaged and processed foods.
  • Eat more fresh produce, which contains fiber, vitamins and minerals necessary for optimal digestive health. The more color and variety, the better.

I’ll let you know when more information is available on this disturbing stomach cancer trend, but in the meantime, you know what to do — respect your digestive system. It’s basic advice, but it goes far in keeping frightening diseases away.