A Snapshot of Stomach Cancer

Incidence and Mortality

The overall incidence of stomach cancer in the United States has declined in the past 75 years. In 2012, it is estimated that 21,320 Americans will be diagnosed with stomach cancer, and 10,540 will die of the disease. Approximately 1 in 116 men and women, most of them older than 65 years of age, will be diagnosed with stomach cancer during their lifetimes.

In the United States, the incidence and mortality rates of stomach cancer vary by race/ethnicity and by sex. Incidence rates are much lower among whites than other U.S. racial/ethnic groups. Mortality rates are highest in Asians/Pacific Islanders and African Americans, followed by American Indians/Alaska Natives, Hispanics, and whites. Men have higher stomach cancer incidence and mortality rates than women. Incidence rates of noncardia gastric cancer (cancer found in all areas of the stomach other than the top portion) have declined in all race and age groups since the late 1970s except for whites aged 25 to 39 years.

Risk factors for stomach cancer include Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection, certain medical and genetic conditions, smoking, family history of stomach cancer, a high-salt diet, and a diet low in fruits and vegetables. There is no standard or routine screening test for stomach cancer. Standard treatments for stomach cancer include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, chemoradiation, and targeted therapy.

It is estimated that approximately $1.8 billion¹ is spent in the United States each year on stomach cancer treatment.

Trends in NCI Funding for Stomach Cancer Research

The National Cancer Institute's (NCI) investment² in stomach cancer research increased from $12.0 million in fiscal year (FY) 2007 to $15.4 million in FY 2009 before decreasing to $13.4 million in FY 2011. In addition to this funding, NCI supported $2.2 million in stomach cancer research in FY 2009 and 2010 using funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).³

Examples of NCI Activities Relevant to Stomach Cancer

• NCI's Infections and Immunoepidemiology Branch conducts epidemiologic research on infectious agents and cancer. Researchers are investigating why stomach cancer risk is relatively low in Africa despite high rates of H. pylori infection, a major risk factor for stomach cancer, and how genetic factors and Epstein-Barr virus infection affect stomach cancer risk.
• The interdisciplinary scientists of the Network for Translational Research (NTR): Optical Imaging in Multimodality Platforms are accelerating translational research in optical imaging. Current efforts include the development of techniques to identify molecular probes for detecting neoplasia in the digestive tract and multimodal imaging of gastrointestinal cancers.
• The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) researchers are systematically identifying the major genomic changes involved in more than 20 cancers using state-of-the-art genomic analysis technologies. TCGA researchers hope to identify specific gene changes linked to H. pylori infection, to different stages of stomach cancer, and to different subtypes of stomach cancer.
• NCI supports studies that explore Biomarkers of Infection-Associated Cancers, including one project identifying serum biomarkers for early detection of H. pylori-associated stomach cancer.
• The Tumor Microenvironment Network (TMEN) is exploring the role of the microenvironment—the cells and blood vessels that feed a tumor—in tumor initiation and progression. Network investigators are studying the role of myofibroblasts/cancer-associated fibroblasts in digestive cancers, including stomach cancer.
• Seven gastrointestinal-cancer-specific Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPOREs) focus on translational research in the gastrointestinal system.

Selected Advances in Stomach Cancer Research

• Researchers discovered that H. pylori strains of European origin are associated with a higher risk of gastric cancer than strains of African origin. Published February 2011. [PubMed  Abstract]
• Results of a preclinical study using transgenic mice suggest that estrogen therapy may prevent stomach cancer induced by H. pylori infection in male mice. Published June 2011. [PubMed Abstract]
• A cohort study of men and women in five ethnic groups revealed that current cigarette smokers have an increased risk of gastric cancer compared with never smokers. Published October 2011. [PubMed Abstract]
• A study using a transgenic mouse model of H. pylori-induced stomach cancer revealed molecular chemopreventive effects of folic acid supplements on molecular and pathologic processes associated with the development of stomach cancer. Published January 2012. [PubMed Abstract]
• See this PubMed list of selected free full-text journal articles on NCI-supported research relevant to stomach cancer. You can also search PubMed for additional scientific articles.