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On this page, you will find information on the following topics:

What is gastric cancer?

Gastric cancer, also known as stomach cancer, happens when cancer cells develop in the stomach lining.1 There were over 1 million new gastric cancer cases in 2020, with over 136,000 cases in Europe.2

There are different types of stomach cancer, depending on where the cancer cells are found. Around 9 in 10 stomach cancers are adenocarcinomas, which develop in the inner lining of the stomach.1,2

Less common types of cancer that can happen in the stomach include:

  • Lymphoma: sometimes found in lymph tissue in the stomach1
  • Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumour (GIST): found in the ‘interstitial cells of Cajal’ in the stomach lining1
  • Carcinoid or neuroendocrine tumour: found in stomach cells that make hormones1

What is it like to live with gastric cancer?

Listening to patient communities to understand what matters to them is important to Astellas. As part of our ‘Gastric Cancer & Me’ series, we spoke to people affected by stomach cancer. They spoke about their experiences of living with it or caring for someone who has been diagnosed with it.

 

A survivor’s perspective: Fiona had surgery to treat her stomach cancer. She speaks about how it has impacted her life and family, and how she stayed positive.

 

A partner’s perspective: Gill speaks about how stomach cancer affected her late husband. She also shares her advice on how to support a loved one that has stomach cancer.

 

A clinical nurse specialist’s perspective: Susie specialises in cancers of the oesophagus and the stomach. She speaks about common concerns expressed by people with stomach cancer and the support available from their healthcare team.

These videos were funded and initiated by Astellas Pharma Europe. Please note that Guts UK was remunerated for Fiona and Gill’s involvement in the creation and development of their videos, and Susie has been remunerated for her involvement in the creation and development of her video. The views expressed are specific to the participants' situations but illustrate some of the issues that patients with gastric cancer and their carers can experience.

Who is more likely to get gastric cancer?

There are many reasons a person could develop stomach cancer. A ‘risk factor’ is something that makes you more likely to get a particular disease.3 Some risk factors for stomach cancer include:

  • Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection: this is a common bacterium found in the stomach.4,5 It is thought to be one of the main causes of stomach cancer, but only around 2-3% of people infected with H. pylori develop stomach cancer.4,6
  • Gender: men are around two times more likely to get stomach cancer than women.2
  • Age: 60% of people diagnosed with stomach cancer are at least 65 years old.7
  • Lifestyle: smoking, drinking alcohol, or eating a high-salt diet with minimal fruit and vegetables can make you more likely to get stomach cancer.2,4
  • People living with obesity are more likely to get stomach cancer.4
  • Lynch syndrome is a rare genetic condition that increases the risk of some cancers.8
  • Ethnicity or location: the risk of developing stomach cancer is higher in Eastern Asia, Eastern Europe, and Central and South America.4
  • Genetics: some genes are linked to an increased risk of stomach cancer.2
  • Pernicious anaemia: this is an autoimmune condition.9 This is when the body’s natural defence system against illness and infection attacks healthy cells.9,10

What symptoms should I look out for?

At first, some people might not have any symptoms of stomach cancer, making it difficult to spot.2 Things to look out for include:

difficulty_swallowing
holding_stomach
feeling_sick

Difficulty swallowing2

Getting full quickly when eating2

Nausea or vomiting2,11

burping
yawning
losing_weight

Indigestion symptoms (such as burping a lot)2,11

Feeling very tired2

Losing weight without trying to or not feeling hungry2,11

 

Some of these symptoms could also be due to digestive problems and don’t always mean you have stomach cancer. However, if you have symptoms for three or more weeks, it’s a good idea to see your doctor.12

 

How would I find out if I have gastric cancer?

If you are worried that you might have stomach cancer, it can be helpful to take a close friend or relative with you when you speak to the doctor. It’s important to explain all your symptoms, any existing illnesses you have and any family history of cancer.13

Once you’ve explained your symptoms to the doctor, tests may be done to see if they are being caused by stomach cancer. This could include:

  • An endoscopy is the main way stomach cancer is confirmed.2 This is when a camera attached to a thin tube (called an ‘endoscope’) goes into your mouth and down to your stomach.14 It allows your doctor to look inside and take small tissue samples (called ‘biopsies’) to test for cancer.2,14 This may be uncomfortable, but it shouldn’t be painful.14
  • An endoscopic ultrasound uses an endoscope with an ultrasound probe at the tip.15 It creates a picture of the inside of your body, to check the size of the cancer and whether it has spread to other parts of the body.15 This helps to show what ‘stage’ the cancer is, which is a measure of how ‘advanced’ it is.2
  • Laparoscopy and peritoneal washing is a procedure sometimes used to detect stomach cancer cells that have spread to other parts of the abdomen.2 Under anaesthetic, your doctor inserts a thin instrument with a camera on the end (a laparoscope) into a small hole in your abdomen.16 This allows them to look at your other organs.17 They may also inject a fluid ‘wash’ into your abdomen, then test the liquid to detect invisible cancer cells.17
  • Computed tomography (CT) scans use x-rays to create an image of what is happening inside your body.13 They are also sometimes used to check how advanced the tumour is and if it has spread to other organs.2,12

 

How is gastric cancer treated?

The treatment options that are suitable for you will depend on the stage of cancer and your general health. Sometimes treatments are used by themselves or in combination with other treatments.2 Your doctor may test your tumour cells for signals called ‘biomarkers’, which help predict what treatments could work best.2

Your healthcare team should explain the treatment options that could be right for you, including their potential risks or side effects. They may suggest what they think is best, but the choice is ultimately up to you.18 Ask as many questions as you need.

Unfortunately, stomach cancer is often diagnosed at a late stage, when it is more advanced and difficult to treat.12 For people whose cancer cannot be cured, the goal of treatment may be to give them more time before their cancer gets worse.2,19

For people diagnosed with an adenocarcinoma, treatment options could include:

  • Endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR): if the tumour is small enough and only affecting the inner layer of the stomach, it could be removed using an endoscope.2
  • Surgery: if the cancer hasn’t spread, it may be possible to treat it by removing some or all of the stomach, and nearby infected lymph nodes.2 Lymph nodes are found throughout the body and are needed to protect us from infection and diseases.20 If the cancer has spread, surgery alone may not cure it, but it may help to relieve symptoms for some people.2
  • Chemotherapy: a type of medicine that aims to kill cancer cells by stopping them from reproducing.21 If chemotherapy is an option for you, it may be offered before, after or instead of surgery.2 Chemotherapy may also be combined with other treatment options.2,18
  • Radiotherapy uses radiation to kill cancer cells.22 It is sometimes combined with chemotherapy, known as ‘chemoradiotherapy’.2
  • Targeted therapy: a medicine that targets specific molecules cancer cells need to grow or survive.23 Targeted therapy is usually given in combination with chemotherapy.2
  • Immunotherapy: a medicine that helps the immune system to recognise and attack cancer cells.24 Immunotherapy is usually given in combination with chemotherapy.2
  • Supportive care: supportive care is about improving your well-being. It may include relieving symptoms and nutritional support.2 You may be referred to a specialist team that focuses on relieving your symptoms or to someone that can give nutritional advice.2

 

Feedback from the gastric cancer community

Natasha Münch from Digestive Cancers Europe (DiCE) shares her thoughts on the importance of collaboration:

“Collaboration between companies like Astellas and the gastric cancer community, through a patient organisation like DiCE, fosters innovation that recognises and addresses the needs of patients. By integrating the patient voice at every stage - from research and development to treatment access and care - we can achieve more meaningful outcomes.”

Astellas is not affiliated with and does not endorse any specific patient organization. The information provided by Astellas is for informational purposes only and is not meant to replace the advice of a healthcare professional.

 

Get in touch

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Before you contact us, please take some time to read our Privacy Notice to understand how we process your personal information, and your data protection rights: https://www.astellas.com/eu/privacy-notice-online-resources.

 

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References

1Digestive Cancers Europe. What are Gastric and Oesophageal Cancers? Available from: https://digestivecancers.eu/gastric-esophageal-what/. Last accessed November 2024.

2Lordick F, Carneiro F, Cascinu S, Fleitas T, Haustermans K, Piessen G, Vogel A, Smyth EC; ESMO Guidelines Committee. Electronic address: [email protected]. Gastric cancer: ESMO Clinical Practice Guideline for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. Ann Oncol. 2022 Oct;33(10):1005-1020. doi: 10.1016/j.annonc.2022.07.004. Epub 2022 Jul 29. PMID: 35914639.

3Digestive Cancers Europe. Gastric and oesophageal cancers risk factors and prevention Risk Factors. Available from: https://digestivecancers.eu/gastric-esophageal-risk/. Last accessed November 2024.

4Wong MCS, Huang J, Chan PSF, et al. Global Incidence and Mortality of Gastric Cancer, 1980-2018. JAMA Netw Open. 2021;4(7):e2118457. Published 2021 Jul 1. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.18457

5NHS. Causes – stomach ulcers. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stomach-ulcer/causes/. Last accessed November 2024.

6Kouroumalis E, Tsomidis I, Voumvouraki A. Helicobacter pylori and gastric cancer: a critical approach to who really needs eradication. Explor Dig Dis. 2024;3:107–42. https://doi.org/10.37349/edd.2024.00043

7Paredero-Pérez I, Jimenez-Fonseca P, Cano JM, et al. State of the scientific evidence and recommendations for the management of older patients with gastric cancer. J Geriatr Oncol. 2024;15(3):101657. doi:10.1016/j.jgo.2023.101657

8Caspers IA, Eikenboom EL, Lopez-Yurda M, et al. Gastric and duodenal cancer in individuals with Lynch syndrome: a nationwide cohort study. EClinicalMedicine. 2024;69:102494. Published 2024 Feb 19. doi:10.1016/j.eclinm.2024.102494

9NHS. Causes: Vitamin B12 or folate deficiency anaemia. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamin-b12-or-folate-deficiency-anaemia/causes/. Last accessed November 2024.

10Rawla P, Barsouk A. Epidemiology of gastric cancer: global trends, risk factors and prevention. Prz Gastroenterol. 2019;14(1):26-38. doi:10.5114/pg.2018.80001

11NHS. Symptoms, Stomach cancer. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stomach-cancer/symptoms/. Last accessed November 2024.

12Guts UK. Stomach Cancer. Available from: https://gutscharity.org.uk/advice-and-information/conditions/stomach-cancer/. Accessed November 2024.

13Digestive Cancers Europe. Gastric and oesophageal cancers symptoms and diagnosis, Diagnosis. Available from: https://digestivecancers.eu/gastric-oesophageal-cancer-diagnosis/. Last accessed November 2024.

14NHS. Tests and next steps, Stomach cancer. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stomach-cancer/tests-and-next-steps/. Last accessed November 2024.

15Cancer Research UK. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS). Available from: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/tests-and-scans/endoscopic-ultrasound-eus. Last accessed November 2024.

16NHS. Laparoscopy (keyhole surgery). Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/laparoscopy/. Last accessed November 2024.

17Rawicz-Pruszyński K, Erodotou M, Pelc Z, et al. Techniques of staging laparoscopy and peritoneal fluid assessment in gastric cancer: a systematic review. Int J Surg. 2023;109(11):3578-3589. Published 2023 Nov 1. doi:10.1097/JS9.0000000000000632

18Macmillan. Treatment for stomach cancer. Available from: https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/stomach-cancer/treatment-for-stomach-cancer. Last accessed November 2024.

19NHS. Treatment – stomach cancer. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stomach-cancer/treatment/. Last accessed November 2024.

20Macmillan. The lymphatic system. Available from: https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/worried-about-cancer/the-lymphatic-system. Last accessed November 2024.

21NHS. Overview: Chemotherapy. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/chemotherapy/. Last accessed November 2024.

22NHS. Overview: Radiotherapy. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/radiotherapy/. Last accessed November 2024.

23Cancer Research UK. What are targeted cancer drugs? Available from: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/treatment/targeted-cancer-drugs/what-are-targeted-cancer-drugs. Last accessed November 2024.

24Cancer Research UK. What is immunotherapy? Available from: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/treatment/immunotherapy/what-is-immunotherapy. Last accessed November 2024.

 

 

 

MAT-GB-NON-2024-00622 November 2024