According to the NHS, current risk factors for stomach cancer include:
• Age – people over the age of 50 are at greater risk
• Gender – men are more likely to develop the disease
• A long-term infection known as H. pylori
• Long-term severe acid reflux
• Gastritis
• Pernicious anaemia
• A family member with stomach cancer.
Soon though, it is believed relationship status could be added to this list.
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Research from the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University has found single people are more likely to develop stomach cancer than those in relationships.
Such is the strength of their evidence, they now say that a relationship status should be considered as a metric to work out how long someone could live.
Professor Aman Xu of the study explained: “Married people tend to be better off financially. They may also receive emotional encouragement.”
Professor Xu said the data suggested: “Survival prospects were better among women than among men and among people who were married”.
DON’T MISS
While these symptoms may sound unnerving, their presence does not necessarily mean someone definitely has cancer.
However, with other cancers, the key is to get checked.
The sooner cancer is diagnosed, the more efficaciously it can be treated.
Stomach cancer is no different.