What Is Stomach Cancer?

What is stomach cancer? It may seem obvious but stomach cancer is a malignant tumor which originates in the stomach. It can also be called gastric cancer

What is the stomach?
The stomach is a sac-like organ that sits in the upper abdominal cavity, red in the picture, and is a part of the digestive tract. After we swallow food, it enters our esophagus, the long muscular tube that runs from the throat down through the chest and into the abdomen. Right after the esophagus passes into the abdominal cavity (by passing through the diaphragm) it empties into the stomach.

The stomach is an enlarged part of the digestive tract that stores food after eating and begins the process of digestion. The food is churned around with acid which is secreted by the cells of the stomach. Some cells in the stomach also secrete digestive enzymes which help to start the digestion of the food. Once the food is sterilized by acid and fully mixed with the fluid and enzymes, it passes out of the stomach into the small intestine where further digestion and absorption of nutrients occurs.

What is stomach cancer?
When cells in the stomach become malignant, it is known as a stomach cancer. Most stomach cancers originate from the innermost layer of cells which line the cavity of the stomach. These mucosal cells include cells that secrete fluid, acid and enzymes. There are actually several types of cancer which can originate in the stomach. True stomach cancers usually originate from the glandular cells of the mucosa and are termed adenocarcinoma and there are several subtypes of these. Other types of tumors which can arise from the stomach include lymphomas and carcinoid tumors. You can learn about the different types on the Stomach Cancer Types page.