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Stomach cancer is ranked 4th worldwide of the most common type of cancer with 930,000 cases being reported in 2002. This disease carries a high mortality rate with about 800,000 deaths each year which makes it 2nd to lung cancer as being the most common cause of cancer throughout the world. This cancer is also more prevalent in developing countries and with men.
Of those with stomach cancer, about 80 to 90 % get metastasis, which is the spread of the cancer from one part or organ to another non-adjacent part or organ. Early detection is key to the outcome of a treatment plan and stomachcancer.org explains the importance of getting yearly checkups. Once metastasis occurs, there is a 6 month survival rate of 65 percent for individuals diagnosed in the early stages of cancer and less than 15 percent for individuals that have cancer in late stages.
Some amazing percentages includes one in 50 individuals within every age group that seeks medical attention for indigestion and burping has stomach cancer. In addition, one in a million individuals that are below the age of 55 who seek medical attention for indigestion has stomach cancer.
Another amazing percentages is that in 1996, the mortality rate in Taiwan was 11.75 out of 100,000 individuals. In addition,from 10 million individuals in the Czech Republic, only three stomach cancer cases for those under 30 years old was diagnosed in 1999. Some studies indicate that less that 5 percent of these cancers result in individuals below 40 years old and 81.1 percent of the five percent that are in the age group of 30-39.
