Quick Quiz: Gastric Cancer

Page 1 of 7: Gastric Cancer

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Gastric cancer is a relatively rare malignancy in the United States, representing 1.5% of all new cancer cases and 1.8% of all cancer deaths.1 The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2021, approximately 26,560 individuals (16,160 men and 10,400 women) will be diagnosed with gastric cancer, and approximately 11,180 individuals (6740 men and 4440 women) will die from the disease.1 The number of new cases of gastric cancer has been declining by approximately 1.5% annually over the past 10 years in the United States.1 How much do you know about gastric cancer?

Gastric cancer can be difficult to detect and diagnose because symptoms rarely occur in the early stages of the disease.1,2 Gastric cancer is classified on the basis of its relationship to the long axis of the stomach, with approximately 40% of cases developing in the pylorus, 40% in the fundus, and 15% in the cardia, with approximately 10% involving more than 1 portion of the organ.1,3 The median age at diagnosis is 68 years; approximately 6 out of 10 individuals diagnosed with gastric cancer are aged ≥64 years.1-3 In the United States, approximately 25% of patients are diagnosed with localized disease, 31% with regional disease, and 32% with metastatic disease.3 The overall 5-year survival rate for gastric cancer is 32%; 70% for localized disease, 32% for regional disease, and 6% for distant disease.1,2 Public awareness of gastric cancer needs to remain a priority to increase survival rates and improve patient quality of life.

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