Stomach cancer

Stomach cancer is a malignant tumor arising in the stomach. Most cases are adenocarcinomas that develop from the stomach lining.

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Gastric adenocarcinoma: A cancer arising from gland-forming cells of the stomach lining; it is the most common type of stomach cancer. This is the dominant histological form of stomach cancer.
Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy: A procedure that uses a flexible camera to examine the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum and obtain tissue samples. It allows direct inspection and biopsy of a suspected stomach tumor.
Gastric intestinal metaplasia: A change in which stomach lining cells acquire features resembling intestinal cells, often after chronic inflammation. It can precede some stomach cancers and marks a higher-risk gastric lining.
Gastroesophageal junction cancer: Cancer arising where the esophagus meets the stomach, classified according to its precise origin and extent. Tumors near this boundary may be classified and treated differently from cancers centered in the stomach.
Helicobacter pylori: A bacterium that colonizes the stomach and can cause chronic gastritis, ulcers, and gastric cancer. Long-term infection can drive inflammation and raise the risk of gastric adenocarcinoma.
Endoscopic biopsy: The removal of small tissue samples through an endoscope for microscopic examination and testing. Biopsy establishes whether a stomach lesion is malignant and identifies its tissue type.
Epstein–Barr virus-associated gastric cancer: A molecular subtype of gastric adenocarcinoma in which Epstein–Barr virus is present in tumor cells. This virus-associated subtype accounts for a distinct fraction of stomach cancers.
Esophageal cancer: A malignant tumor arising in the esophagus, the muscular tube connecting the throat to the stomach. Its location distinguishes it from a primary stomach tumor, despite overlapping symptoms and risk factors.
Correa cascade: A proposed sequence in which chronic gastritis progresses through atrophy and intestinal metaplasia to dysplasia and gastric cancer. It describes a pathway from chronic stomach inflammation to some intestinal-type cancers.
Gastrectomy: Surgical removal of part or all of the stomach. For localized disease, removing the tumor with adequate margins can be part of curative treatment.