Cancer Types – Stomach Cancer
Stomach Cancer: Overview
About the stomach
The stomach is located in the upper abdomen and plays a central role in digesting food. When food is swallowed, it is pushed down the muscular tube called the esophagus, which connects the throat with the stomach. Then, the food enters the stomach. The stomach mixes the food and releases gastric juices that help break down and digest the food. The food then moves into the small intestine for further digestion.
Types of stomach cancer
Stomach cancer, also called gastric cancer, begins when healthy cells in the stomach become abnormal and grow out of control. A tumor can be cancerous or benign. A cancerous tumor is malignant, meaning it can grow and spread to other parts of the body. A benign tumor means the tumor can grow but will not spread. Cancer can begin in any part of the stomach. It can also spread to nearby lymph nodes and other parts of the body, such as the liver, bones, lungs, and a woman’s ovaries.
Most stomach cancers are a type called adenocarcinoma. This means that the cancer started in the glandular tissue that lines the inside of the stomach. Other types of cancerous tumors that form in the stomach include lymphoma, gastric sarcoma, and carcinoid tumors, but these are rare.
Read more about stomach cancer here.