Is stomach cancer contagious?

According to GLOBOCAN 2022, stomach cancer ranks 5th in the number of cases and deaths in the world . Whether stomach cancer is contagious or whether HP bacteria is the main culprit of the disease is still a question for many people.

Many people still do not know whether stomach cancer is contagious or not. The answer given by experts is no. Up to now, cancer in general and stomach cancer in particular are almost impossible to transmit from one person to another.

According to GLOBOCAN 2022, stomach cancer ranks 5th in the number of cases and deaths in the world.

The word “likely” is used because it is possible, but extremely unlikely. There are a few documented cases of cancer spreading from organ transplants and ongoing follow-up.

There is a chance that a person who receives an organ or tissue transplant may develop cancer if the donor has had cancer. However, this rate is very low, only about 2/10,000 cases.

Doctors no longer use organs or tissue from people with a history of cancer in organ transplants. The stomach is also an organ that does not need to be transplanted, because patients who have their entire stomach removed can still live - although their quality of life is affected after surgery.

There are some misconceptions that stomach cancer can spread. Most cases of stomach cancer are not hereditary, and the patient's family has no history of cancer.

Some other factors that can be mentioned are HP bacteria or full name is Helicobacter pylori. The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies H. pylori as a group 1 carcinogen. This bacteria can cause stomach cancer through the following mechanisms

Chronic infection: When HP bacteria invade the stomach, they will adhere to the stomach lining and secrete toxins that cause inflammation. Chronic infection caused by HP bacteria can lead to DNA damage in stomach lining cells, creating conditions for cancer development.

Stimulating cell proliferation: HP bacteria stimulate the proliferation of gastric epithelial cells, leading to abnormal growth of these cells. Abnormal cell growth can lead to cancerous tumors.

Immune system suppression: HP bacteria can suppress the body's immune system, making it more difficult for the body to destroy cancer cells.

Produces carcinogens: HP bacteria produce several substances that can cause cancer, including nitrates and ammonia.

In addition, HP bacteria can also interact with other risk factors for stomach cancer, such as a diet lacking in vitamins and minerals, smoking, and exposure to toxic chemicals.

Many people ask the question "Is stomach cancer contagious if the HP bacteria of a person with stomach cancer infects another person?".

Dr. Nguyen Tien Sy, Oncology Department, Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, said that HP bacteria can be transmitted from person to person through direct contact with the secretions of an infected person, including saliva, gastric juice and feces. However, transmission of HP bacteria does not mean transmission of stomach cancer.

HP bacteria is one of the risk factors for stomach cancer, but it is not the only factor. To develop stomach cancer, a combination of other factors is needed, including genetic factors, diet, lifestyle and living environment.

Not everyone infected with HP bacteria develops stomach cancer: The risk of stomach cancer due to HP bacteria depends on many factors, including the strain of bacteria, the duration of infection, and the person's overall health.

It takes time for HP bacteria to cause stomach cancer: The process from HP bacteria infection to the development of stomach cancer can take many years, even decades.

Therefore, exposure to HP bacteria from someone with stomach cancer does not mean you will get stomach cancer.

Is stomach cancer contagious if everyone in the family has syndromes that increase the risk of cancer? It is possible for more than one person in a family to have stomach cancer, but that does not mean that the person got it from a relative.

Many factors and genetic diseases can lead to stomach cancer. These include family history of stomach cancer, Lynch syndrome, familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), etc.

Therefore, if by chance many members in a family have stomach cancer, it is most likely due to genetic reasons and not "infectious" from others.

Science has shown that the habit of eating a lot of salt is related to stomach cancer. Family members who have the same taste and consume a lot of salt have a higher risk of stomach cancer.

According to the doctor, the only way cancer is currently spread is through organ transplantation. Meanwhile, the stomach is an organ that does not require transplantation to sustain life. Therefore, it is very rare for patients to need support for this organ transplant.

There are still some rare cases where the patient has multiple organ failure, requiring multiple organ replacements to sustain life. In this case, the patient may need a multiple organ transplant including the stomach, intestines, pancreas, liver, and kidneys.

Thus, whether stomach cancer is contagious or not depends largely on whether the transplanted organs contain cancer cells or not. However, the rate of patients with multiple organ transplants who can get stomach cancer is still very low.

Is stomach cancer hereditary? The answer is yes. However, the incidence of hereditary stomach cancer is quite low. The age of patients with hereditary stomach cancer is also much lower than the average age. A Japanese report on more than 100,000 people with rectal cancer had an average age of about 67.

Meanwhile, people with hereditary stomach cancer are often detected before the age of 40, below the recommended threshold for stomach cancer screening. So is stomach cancer contagious among family members? The answer is still “no”.

Although the incidence of hereditary stomach cancer is low, people with a family history of stomach cancer are in the high-risk group. Therefore, it is still necessary to proactively perform regular screening from a young age to detect and treat cancer promptly.

The direct cause of stomach cancer is still unknown. The main risk factors directly related to stomach cancer are Helicobacter pylori bacteria and dietary habits. However, there are still many factors that are related to or affect a person's risk of developing stomach cancer.

The following factors are associated with an increased risk of developing stomach cancer:

Bacteria: In 1994, the World Health Organization recognized Helicobacter pylori as the leading cause of stomach cancer.

Genetics: People with a family history of stomach cancer have a higher risk of developing stomach cancer. Some syndromes that can cause stomach cancer include: hereditary diffuse gastric cancer (HDGC), hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC), Lynch syndrome, familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP).

Gender: The rate of male patients with stomach cancer is twice as high as that of female patients (according to GLOBOCAN 2022 data).

Age: People with stomach cancer are usually 55 years old or older, mostly in their 60s and 70s.

Race: Stomach cancer is less common in whites than in blacks, Asians, and Hispanics.

Diet: Consuming a lot of salt increases the risk of stomach cancer. Foods high in salt are often dried, pickled, smoked foods, fast foods, canned foods, etc.

Surgery: People who have had surgery to treat stomach-related conditions have a higher risk of developing stomach cancer.

Stomach disease: People with diseases such as gastric anemia and gastric acid deficiency have a higher rate of stomach cancer.

Occupation: People whose jobs regularly expose them to certain types of fumes and toxic dust may have an increased risk of stomach cancer.

Alcohol, tobacco: People who use a lot of alcohol and tobacco increase their risk of developing stomach cancer.

Obesity: Obesity increases the risk of stomach cancer in men. There are no reports of obesity and stomach cancer in women.

Although the question “Is stomach cancer contagious?” has been answered, how can we reduce the risk of stomach cancer? Based on risk factors, people can reduce their risk of stomach cancer by:

Do not smoke, limit alcohol consumption. Eat healthy, limit salt and processed foods. Always control your weight, do not let yourself be overweight or obese.

People in the high-risk group should be screened for stomach cancer periodically every 3-5 years to prevent the risk of disease and treat it promptly. Stomach cancer in the early stages has almost no symptoms.

If the patient is not screened, it is difficult to detect stomach cancer early. Early detection of stomach cancer is a prerequisite factor affecting the patient's survival rate. So what does stomach cancer screening include and how is it performed?

Not everyone needs to be screened for stomach cancer. People at high risk for stomach cancer include: People with a family history of stomach cancer: If your parents, siblings, or children have had stomach cancer, you are at higher risk.

People infected with HP bacteria: HP bacteria is the leading cause of increased risk of stomach cancer.

People with unhealthy diets: Diets high in salt, red meat and processed foods can increase the risk of stomach cancer.

Smokers: Smoking increases the risk of many types of cancer, including stomach cancer.

Overweight and obesity: Being overweight and obese increases the risk of stomach cancer.

If you have any of the above risk factors, you should see your doctor about stomach cancer screening. Your doctor will help you determine whether you need screening and advise you on the most appropriate screening method.

Diagnostic methods that can be used in gastric cancer screening include gastroscopy. This is the most common and effective method for detecting gastric cancer. Endoscopy can be combined with a biopsy or blood test to confirm the accuracy.

Biopsy: The doctor takes a sample of a suspected lesion in the stomach, performed during a gastroscopy for testing. The biopsy results will provide the most accurate diagnosis of whether the stomach lesion is benign or malignant.

Barium X-ray: The patient is given a contrast agent (barium) before the X-ray, which will highlight lesions in the stomach on the X-ray image. However, this is not a common method of screening for stomach cancer in Vietnam.

Source: https://baodautu.vn/ung-thu-da-day-co-lay-khong-d222543.html