The American Cancer Society's most recent estimates for stomach cancer in the United States are for 2012:
- About 21,320 cases of stomach cancer will be diagnosed (13,020 in men and 8,300 in women)
- About 10,540 people will die from this type of cancer (6,190 men and 4,350 women)
This is a disease that mostly affects older people. The average age of people diagnosed is 70. Almost two thirds of people with stomach cancer are 65 or older. The risk of a person developing stomach cancer in their lifetime is about 1 in 114, but it is slightly higher in men than in women.
Stomach cancer is much more common in other parts of the world, particularly in less developed countries. It is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the world.
Until the late 1930s, stomach cancer was the leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Now, stomach cancer is well down on this list. The reasons for this decline are not completely known, but may be linked to increased use of refrigeration for food storage. This made fresh fruits and vegetables more available and decreased the use of salted and smoked foods. Some doctors think the decline may also be linked to the frequent use of antibiotics to treat infections. Antibiotics can kill the bacteria called Helicobacter pylori (H pylori), which may be a major cause of stomach cancer.
For information on survival rates for stomach cancer, see the section, “How is stomach cancer staged?”
Feedback
