Cancer may develop in any part of the stomach, although it seems to occur more often in the upper part of the stomach. It is much less common in the U.S. than it was 50 years ago for reasons that are unknown. Still, 21,130 people were diagnosed with stomach cancer in 2009. The disease remains common in other regions including Japan, Eastern Europe, and in South America. Men are more often affected than women. Ulcers are not a cause of stomach cancer although stomach cancer can cause an ulcer. Stomach cancer is more common in older individuals. The cause of stomach cancer is still unknown even though the disease has been extensively studied.

The disease is difficult to detect early. Detection is usually the result of a biopsy or direct examination of the stomach after the patient develops symptoms and signs of the disease. The signs and symptoms can include stomach discomfort, fatigue, loss of appetite, weight loss, and pain. A tube can be passed down the throat to the stomach and a biopsy can be taken to make the diagnosis. When detected early there is a good chance of survival.

Unfortunately most stomach cancers are discovered late, and often the cancer already involves the liver and nearby lymph nodes. Prognosis depends on how deep the cancer has grown into the wall of the stomach, its location in the stomach, and whether or not it has extended to the liver and to the lymph nodes. Depth of penetration into the wall is determined by a pathologist after examining the surgically removed tissue under a microscope. By far the most common type of stomach cancer is an adenocarcinoma that arises from the inside lining of the stomach.

Surgery is the initial treatment. The extent of the surgery will depend on the degree of tumor growth. In some cases, the entire stomach may be removed. Various forms of chemotherapy may also be used as well as radiation therapy.

Stomach Cancer Predictions
Predictions are based on your prognostic factors. These are characteristics that are used to calculate your predictions. The factors are: age, race, sex, tumor size, lymph nodes positive, and histologic grade.. Your prediction will include a prediction graph and table of the likelihood of survival for the next four years.

Prediction Method
An advanced statistical method called artificial neural network regression (ANN) will be used to make your predictions. Your factors will be entered into the artificial neural network model. The model will use this information to predict your chance of being alive over the next four years.