Stomach ( Gastric ) cancer

Stomach is lined with a mucous membrane made of columnar epithelial cells and glands- these are prone to inflammation ie gastritis leading to ulcers which can turn into gastric cancer GCs is a multifactorial disease where both environmental and genetic factors play a role GCa is the result of accumulation of multiple epi / genetic changes during the patient's lifetime which results in oncogenic activation and / or tumour suppressor pathways inactivation 95 % of GCa's are epithelial in origin and are adenocarcinomas , followed by primary gastric lymphoma Adenocarcinoma histologically can be differentiated ( intestinal ) or undifferentiated ( diffuse ) Intestinal ( differentiated ) type is more common -develops slowly and seen more in older males whereas diffuse type is seen more in females , younger age ( < 50 ) and carries a worse prognosis as a delay in diagnosis is common Adenocarcinomas based on location can be cardia and non-cardia , this distinction is important as there is evidence that the two entities have different etiologies Oesophago-gastric cancers account for 6 % of all UK cancers with 2/3rd being men and 92 % of cases happen in those aged > 55

Fifth most common neoplasm and...