Stomach cancer can be difficult to catch in the early stages. New data from the National Cancer Institute’s SEER-22 database show that trends in detection have changed. Often found in later stages, stomach cancer is now a rare opportunity for earlier diagnosis, improving survival outcomes. In the United States, the five-year survival rate for all stages of stomach cancer is only about 36%. When patients are diagnosed at a local stage, the five-year survival rate jumps to 77%.
This new and exciting reality of stomach cancer diagnosis comes from recent innovations in medical technology. Newer endoscopic devices provide high-definition endoscopic, or upper gastrointestinal tract views. Thanks to these innovations, healthcare workers can detect tiny tumors that would have otherwise gone unnoticed. This technological evolution puts us in a position to intervene earlier with patients.
Currently, in the U.S., stomach cancer screenings are typically performed only when individuals present symptoms or have a family history of the disease. For comparison, Japan and South Korea have adopted aggressive screening initiatives. Japan screens everyone over the age of 50. In contrast, South Korea has mandated screenings every two years for people aged 40 to 74.
Dr. Mohamed Tausif Siddiqui is a gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition fellow at the Cleveland Clinic. The research he explored painted a picture of rising early-stage stomach cancer diagnoses from 2004 to 2021. The rate jumped from 1.94 per 100,000 in 2004 up to 2.97 per 100,000 within 2021.
“The whole paradigm is changing, with more and more local cancers and fewer metastatic cancers being detected,” – Dr. Mohamed Tausif Siddiqui
This change in how we detect is really important. In the past, physicians were often unable to diagnose stomach cancer until after it had metastasized, leading to dismal prognoses for most patients. Importantly, gastric cancer incidence is increasing among adolescents and young adults. Now, an increasing number of people aged 50 and younger are being diagnosed with the disease. A perfect storm of risk factors fuels this rise. They consist of being infected with Helicobacter pylori bacteria, inherited genetic predisposition, and a smoking history.
Dr. Ryan Moy, a medical oncologist, is hopeful about these findings. He even pointed out that if they could start diagnosing stomach cancer much earlier, they would expect to see the survival rate begin improving in the future.
“What’s very exciting about these findings is, for the first time, localized stomach cancers are the majority of diagnoses in the U.S.” – Dr. Ji Yoon Yoon
Having seen the promise of these positive developments, experts are understandably excited about them. They caution that we need longer follow-up to determine if early detection truly results in improved survival for stomach cancer patients.
“However, we will likely need to have longer follow-up to know whether this translates into improvement in survival outcomes,” – Gibson
Country music star Toby Keith’s recent diagnosis with stomach cancer brings that reality home. It’s a particularly vivid reminder that cancer doesn’t discriminate – it can hit anyone, anywhere, at any time. His passing in 2024 serves as a reminder to focus on early detection and intervention.
Leave a Reply