6 early signs of stomach cancers as young adult cases rise in the US

Need a bellyful of good news?New research shows that US doctors are detecting stomach cancers earlier and at more treatable stages, marking a major shift in the fight against the deadly disease.The findings come as cases among younger Americans are climbing, flipping the script on a cancer once seen mostly in older adults.In a sweeping study, researchers analyzed data from the National Cancer Institute and found early-stage diagnoses increased by a whopping 53% between 2004 and 2021. Meanwhile, cases where the disease had spread to nearby lymph nodes and organs plummeted by 38%, while those where the cancer had spread to distant organs fell by nearly 8%.“These trends suggest that advancements in endoscopic imaging, along with more widespread use of upper endoscopy, may be helping doctors find stomach cancer earlier,” said Dr.Mohamed Tausif Siddiqui, the study’s lead author and a gastroenterology fellow at the Cleveland Clinic.In fact, researchers found that 2021 marked the first year in which localized, early-stage stomach cancer became the most common stage at diagnosis, surpassing advanced-stage cases.“These shifts are important because catching stomach cancer earlier can lead to less-invasive treatment and better patient outcomes,” said Siddiqui, who presented the findings earlier this month at Digestive Disease Week — a major international medical conference.

Overall, the rate of stomach cancer in the US has slightly decreased, from 8.44 per 100,000 people in 2000 to 7.53 in 2021.But there’s a troubling trend bubbling beneath the surface: Americans under 50, especially women, are being diagnosed more often — and their cases are frequently detected at more advanced stages.Scientists are still working to understand what’s fueling the shift, but one thing is clear: early detection is essential.When caught before the disease has spread beyond the stomach, the five-year survival rate is 75%, according to the American Cancer Society.However, that ...