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Stomach cancer is a fairly uncommon type of cancer.
Yet, every year, 26,000 new cases of stomach cancer are diagnosed in the US, causing the deaths of 11,000 people (42.3%), according to Debbie’s Dream Foundation, a national organization for stomach cancer awareness and fundraising.
For National Stomach Cancer Awareness Month in November, Debbie’s Dream is hosting a Zumbathon fundraiser in San Antonio among other events nationally.
Zumbathon Fundraiser
Get ready to sweat for a good cause! The new San Antonio Spurs basketball training facility is about to be decked out in periwinkle for a very special Zumbathon fundraiser.
The fundraiser is set for The Rock at La Cantera, located at 1 Spurs Way in San Antonio, on Saturday, Nov. 16 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. CT. Check in for the event opens at 10:30 a.m.
The event will be held outside with a Saturday market, drink discounts, and plenty of stomach-cancer-fighting-fueled dancing.
Whether you are there to support, cheer someone on, or participate, it’s suggested that each attendee donate $15 to $50.
- $15 – Spectator/Supporter
- $25 – Zumba + Wristband
- $35 – Zumba + Tote Bag
- $50 – Zumba + T-shirt
All proceeds from the event will be donated to Debbie’s Dream Foundation, which aims to one day find a cure for stomach cancer.
Those unable to attend can still donate online to the foundation.
Register for the Zumbathon through foundation website. Additional questions can be directed to Vanessa Torres at vanessa_torres@live.com.
Debbie’s Dream Foundation
Debbie’s Dream Foundation was founded in April 2009 by the late Debbie Zelman.
At 40 years old, Debbie was diagnosed with stage IV advanced, incurable stomach cancer.
With a 4% chance of a 5-year survival rate, Debbie put energy into learning as much as she could about the disease.
After working closely with doctors and communities, Debbie began responding to treatment and devoted her time to raising awareness about stomach cancer, fund research, and help other cancer patients.
Through the foundation, Debbie became a voice for stomach cancer patient advocacy and an international leader for stomach cancer awareness. Unfortunately, she died in December 2017, leaving behind a legacy through the foundation.
Since its inception, Debbie’s Dream Foundation has educated patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals, raised awareness through education and events, provided support about treatment options, such as clinical trials, and helped fund research.
Visit the Debbie’s Dream Foundation website to learn more.
Stomach Cancer
Known as gastric cancer, stomach cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the lining of the stomach, according to the National Cancer Institute.
One of the most common types of stomach cancer is adenocarcinoma, which begins in the mucus-producing cells of the stomach lining. There are also several other types of stomach cancer, including lymphomas and mesenchymal tumors.
Symptoms of stomach cancer may not present themselves until later on. Those symptoms include heartburn, indigestion, severe abdominal pain, nausea, unexplained weight loss, and bloating after eating.
What’s more, these symptoms tend to mimic other conditions, such as overeating and acid reflux, which are often ignored, resulting in a later-stage diagnosis.
According to Debbie’s Dream Foundation, most stomach cancer patients are diagnosed at a later stage when the five-year survival rate is 4%.
Stomach cancer has a general five-year survival rate of 31%, making it the fifth-deadliest cancer in the US.
Not only is stomach cancer deadlier, but the number of cases has also risen significantly in recent years.
Since 1977, the chances of being diagnosed with stomach cancer between ages 25 and 39 have gone up 70%, according to the foundation.
Risk for developing the disease increases with use of tobacco, age, family history, and consuming an unhealthy diet devoid of fruits and vegetables.
Surgery, which may include removing all or portions of the stomach, along with chemotherapy is one of the most common forms of treatment for stomach cancer.
Latinos and Stomach Cancer
Stomach cancer also disproportionately impacts Latinos and other people of color.
Latinos are twice as likely as White individuals to develop invasive gastric cancer, according to a 2021 reportcited by Salud America!
In the same yar, it was estimated that 4,400 Latino men and women would be diagnosed with gastric cancer with an estimated 2,200 dying from the disease.
A recent study by researchers at UT Health San Antonio studied stomach cancer among Latinos at a regional level.
The researchers compared incidence, cancer stage, and risk factors for one of the most common types of gastric cancer in Latinos and non-Latinos in the US, Texas, and South Texas from 2004 to 2016.
After coming up with 117,400 gastric cancer cases in U.S., with 20,418 in Texas and 4,192 in South Texas, they found that Latinos had higher rates than White individuals in all three regions.
Like many cancers, Latinos pose a higher risk for stomach cancer due to other racial and structural barriers to health, including access to equitable healthcare, housing, transportation, food insecurity, and more.
Fitness Can Decrease Your Risk of Cancer
There are many factors that can increase your risk for stomach and other cancer types.
Obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure can impact your body’s potential for developing the disease.
However, the risk for many of these conditions can be changed with more physical activity.
In an effort to get 10 million adults and 2 million young people to meet the minimum aerobic physical activity guideline, Active People, Healthy Nation created the Moving Matters campaign.
To reap the benefits of movement on your body’s health, adults should be getting at least 2 and a half hours of moderate aerobic activity, like brisk walking, and muscle strengthening activities every week, according to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans.
Adults who prefer higher intensity workouts may enjoy 75 minutes of activities such as jogging, running, or riding a bike over hills.
In addition to decreasing your risk for cancer, more physical activity can reduce your stress, improve your school and work performance, and help you sleep through the night.
Need help staying motivated? Try seeking out a local running group, take a class at a community center, or enlist a friend or family member to try something new together.
For more ways to overcome barriers to weekly physical activity goals visit the CDC website.
Find more activities and physical activity recommendations for your age and/or health condition.
Tracking Physical Activity After Cancer with the Avanzando Caminos Study
Cancer survivors can benefit from increased mobility through exercise and movement.
“Research shows that getting to and staying at a healthy weight, eating right, and being physically active may help reduce the risk of other serious chronic diseases, as well as the risk of a second cancer,” according to the American Cancer Society.
It’s recommended that cancer survivors get 150 to 300 minutes of moder-intensity physical activity accompanied by two days of muscle-strengthening activities every week to maintain a healthy existence.
However, there are factors such as work hours, homeownership, income, and other adverse health conditions that keep survivors, including many Latino cancer survivors, from living a healthy lifestyle.
Barriers to being physical post-cancer is just one of the many post-cancer factors examined as part of theAvanzando Caminos Hispanic/Latino Cancer Survivorship study at the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio.
Avanzando Caminos is aiming to recruit 1,500 Hispanic and Latino cancer survivors in South Texas to explore the impact of the physical, mental, biological, social, behavioral, and medical influences on post-cancer life.
To participate, survivors must identify as Hispanic or Latino, be at least 18 years old, communicate in English or Spanish, and have completed their primary cancer treatment for breast, colon, kidney, liver, lung, prostate, stomach or cervical cancer within the last 10 years.
To volunteer or inquire about the study, contact the study team at the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio at 210-562-6514 or caminos@uthscsa.edu, or visit the Avanzando Caminos website in English or Spanish to fill out a quick survey.
By The Numbers
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