Types of stomach cancer
The stomach is one of the most important parts of the digestive system. It is divided into two parts (proximal stomach and distal stomach) which are made up of cardia, fundus, corpus, antrum and pylorus. Additionally, the five layers (mucosa, submucosa, muscularis propria, subserosa and serosa) are the main determiners of the staging of the cancer. Knowing the staging of the cancer helps in determining the treatment options available and also the prognosis.
Stomach Cancer is a progressive disease that grows from the mucosa and into the deep layers. However, there are various types with each originating from a different section.
Below are some types of stomach cancer:
- Adenocarcinomas
These are the most common types and they originate in the mucosa. They consist of the diffuse which is fast spreading, harder to treat but luckily, rare. The other one is intestinal which has genes that allow it to be treated thus having a (slightly) better outlook.
- Gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs)
These tumours are found in the interstitial cells of Cajal and are likely to spread to other body parts.
- Lymphomas
Just like the name suggests, this type of cancer starts in the lymphocytes which is an immune system cell. And just like the other types of stomach cancer, Lymphomas can start anywhere else in the body.
- Neuroendocrine tumours (NETs)
This tumour can start on any part of the digestive tract where they get a chance to grow and spread rapidly. When NETs are compared to other types of stomach cancer, it appears to not spread to other organs and its growth rate is also slow.
