The American Cancer Society's most recent estimates for stomach cancer in the United States are for 2009:

• about 21,130 cases of stomach cancer will be diagnosed (12,820 in men and 8,310 in women)
• about 10,620 people will die from this type of cancer (6,320 men and 4,300 women)

This is a disease that mostly affects older people. The average age at the time of diagnosis is 71. Almost two thirds of people with stomach cancer are older than 65. The risk of a person developing stomach cancer in their lifetime is about 1 in 112, but it is slightly higher in men than in women.

Stomach cancer is much more common worldwide, 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 deaths 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?"

Last Medical Review: 11/03/2009
Last Revised: 11/03/2009