Stomach cancer incidence rates show substantial variation internationally. Rates are highest in Japan and eastern Asia, but other areas of the world have high stomach cancer incidence rates including eastern Europe and parts of Latin America.
Incidence rates are generally lower in western Europe and the United States.
Stomach cancer incidence and mortality rates have been declining for several decades in most areas of the world. For one subsite of the stomach, the cardia, incidence rates appear to be increasing, particularly among white men. Those with high age-adjusted incidence rates are Koreans, Vietnamese, Japanese, Alaska Natives and Hawaiians. Those with intermediate incidence rates are white Hispanic, Chinese, and black populations. Filipinos and non-Hispanic whites have substantially lower incidence rates than the other groups.