Stomach Cancer Risks
In many cases, stomach cancer happens without an obvious cause or reason. But there are certain risk factors that can make stomach cancer more likely.
The risk of stomach cancer can increase for a number of reasons:
- Age: Stomach cancer happens more often in people who are older than 60
- Lifestyle factors
- Drinking alcohol
- Smoking
- Eating a diet high in salty, processed foods
- Not exercising regularly
- Health conditions
- Having excess weight or obesity
- Infection with a bacteria called Helicobacter pylori (H pylori)
- Having a history of stomach ulcers or polyps called adenomas
- Gender: Men are more likely to get stomach cancer than women
- Racial/ethnic background: People of South American, Eastern European, or Asian
descent are more likely to get stomach cancer. - Family history and genetic syndromes
- Having one or more relatives with stomach cancer
- Changes (mutations) in the CDH1 gene
- Lynch Syndrome
- Hereditary Diffuse Gastric Cancer (HDGC)
- Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP)
- Li-Fraumeni Syndrome
How to Lower Your Risk
Some risk factors are things that can’t be changed, like your age, your gender, and your heritage. Other risk factors are things that you can take action on.
To lower your risk of stomach cancer, you can take these steps:
- Reduce alcohol consumption: If you drink alcohol, especially more than three drinks a day, look for ways to cut back.
- Improve your diet: Focus on eating a diet rich in whole grains and fruits and vegetables. Limit processed and salty food.
- Get some exercise: Even a small amount of exercise can have a big impact. Try get about half an hour of physical activity per day. “Activity” includes walking, gardening, and housework. It can be spread throughout the day.
- Quit smoking: We understand that quitting smoking can be a major challenge. If you need help making this change, Siteman has a plan for you.
The power of healthy living is hard to overestimate. A large percentage of cancers and many other chronic diseases can be prevented by things like eating a healthy diet, getting regular exercise, keeping weight in check, and getting important screening tests.
The best part? These are things under your control. Take some simple steps to improve your health, and help your family do the same.
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