Also called gastric cancer, stomach cancer refers to an accumulation of abnormal cells inside a part of the stomach. The World Health Organization reports that as many as 723,000 deaths occur annually because of stomach cancer. The different types of stomach cancer are the 5th most common cancer variant all over the globe, and the 3rd leading cause of cancer deaths.

The types of stomach cancer are varied and each of them demands a different mode of treatment. Stomach cancers usually develop at a slow pace and over many years. Incidentally, before the growth of true cancer, many precancerous changes take place in the stomach’s inner lining. Such changes very rarely produce any symptoms, and this is why stomach cancer often stays undetected.

Cancers that originate in different parts of the stomach may have distinct symptoms and distinct outcomes too. In fact, where the cancer is located can have a huge impact on its treatment. Cancers originating at the GE or gastroesophageal junction have different stages and are treated like esophagus cancers. So are cancers that originate in the stomach cardia, but grow into the gastroesophageal junction. Here are the different types:

1. Adenocarcinoma
This cancer originates in the innermost lining of the stomach. Nearly 90-95% of stomach cancers are of this type.

2. Lymphoma
This refers to cancers of the tissues of the immune system, and it can start anywhere where there are lymph tissues, even the stomach. However, stomach lymphomas are rather rare and you will find that only 4% of stomach cancers are of this type.

3. Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs)
These are rather rare types of stomach cancer found in special cells inside the stomach lining called the interstitial cells or ICCs. These look just like nerve cells or muscle cells when viewed under a microscope. While these tumors can appear throughout your digestive canal, only 60-70% will be found in the stomach.

4. Carcinoid tumors
These originate in the stomach’s hormone-producing cells. They typically will not spread to other organs, and this type accounts for a small 3% of stomach cancer cases. The gastric carcinoid tumors may be of 3 types:

• Type I and Type II ECL-cell carcinoids will hardly ever spread into other body parts and rarely have symptoms. These are usually detected when an endoscopy is being done for some other health problem, such as acid reflux.
• Type III ECL-cell carcinoids are more aggressive as compared to the others. The excess hormones in carcinoid tumors may trigger what is called carcinoid syndrome. It is characterized by abdominal pains, flushing, diarrhea, bronchial tube constriction within the lungs, heart problems like valve dysfunction, etc. This condition demands aggressive treatment.

Whatever the type of stomach cancer, you have to come up with a treatment plan by consulting your team of doctors. Stomach cancers are typically treated with radiation therapy, surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy. Treatment options will depend on multiple factors like the type of stomach cancer, the stage of cancer, patient preferences, possible side-effects, and the overall health of the patient.