Stomach Cancer
Global mortality data, country rankings, and trends for Stomach Cancer from 1990 to 2021.
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Stomach Cancer is a significant contributor to the global burden of disease. This page presents data from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) Global Burden of Disease Study, showing mortality trends, country rankings, and regional patterns. Understanding the epidemiology of stomach cancer helps inform public health interventions and resource allocation.
This data is sourced from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) Global Burden of Disease Study 2023, processed via Our World in Data. All rates are age-standardized per 100,000 population unless otherwise noted. Explore related mortality data using the links below.
Stomach (gastric) cancer is the fifth most common cancer and the fourth leading cause of cancer death worldwide, causing approximately 770,000 deaths annually. The dominant risk factor is chronic Helicobacter pylori infection, which causes chronic gastritis progressing through atrophy and intestinal metaplasia to carcinoma. East Asia — particularly China, Japan, and South Korea — has the highest incidence, along with parts of Eastern Europe and Latin America. Dietary factors including high salt intake, smoked and preserved foods, and low fruit and vegetable consumption increase risk. Smoking and alcohol are additional risk factors. Gastric cancer incidence has declined markedly over the past century in many countries, attributed to improved food preservation (refrigeration), declining H. pylori prevalence, and dietary changes. However, it remains highly lethal: five-year survival is approximately 30% globally, as most cases present at advanced stages outside countries with screening programmes.
H. pylori eradication with antibiotic therapy reduces gastric cancer risk by 30-40%. Population-based screening with endoscopy (practised in Japan and South Korea) detects early-stage disease with dramatically improved survival. Reducing salt intake, increasing fruit and vegetable consumption, and smoking cessation are evidence-based risk reduction strategies. H. pylori test-and-treat strategies in high-prevalence populations show promise for large-scale prevention. Research into H. pylori vaccines continues.