Stomach Cancer Causes
7. Pernicious Anemia
Pernicious anemia is a rare disease caused by an autoimmune process that targets the parietal cells of the stomach. In consequence, these cells can no longer produce a substance known as intrinsic factor (IF), needed to absorb dietary vitamin B-12 in the small intestine. Vitamin B-12 is a vital nutrient that allows proper red blood cell production and function in the body. Thus, in the resulting vitamin B-12 deficiency, large and immature red blood cells circulate in the blood but can’t function as normal (mature) red blood cells. This leads to the signs and symptoms of anemia.
Many studies have found that patients with pernicious anemia have roughly five times more risk than the general population of gastric cancer. The link between these disorders remains unclear. Some studies suggest that chronic gastritis can lead to long-term use of a type of drug known as proton pump inhibitors (i.e. omeprazole), which can decrease vitamin B-12 absorption and cause pernicious anemia. Also, patients with this disorder and those with stomach cancer share many risk factors (i.e. alcohol abuse and smoking).
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