College Student Fond of Street Food Diagnosed with Advanced Gastric Cancer: Gastroscopy Saves Lives
Recently, news of an “18-year-old girl diagnosed with advanced gastric cancer due to long-term consumption of street food” has sparked heated discussions on social platforms. While details have not been fully verified, similar cases are not isolated. A 25-year-old woman in Jiangsu Province was diagnosed with advanced gastric cancer after skipping breakfast for years, replacing water with milk tea, and eating late at night; by the time of surgery, cancer cells had spread extensively. These real tragedies have thrust the question “Why are young people increasingly susceptible to gastric cancer?” into the spotlight.Meanwhile, the medical community has repeatedly emphasized: Gastric cancer does not strike suddenly. It often evolves from long-untreated lesions such as chronic gastritis, gastric ulcers, and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. More distressing is that many patients show no obvious symptoms in the early stages; they only seek medical attention when experiencing abdominal pain, weight loss, or hematemesis, by which time the cancer is already in the middle or advanced stage, and the optimal treatment window has been missed.
Faced with this reality, a crucial question emerges: Is there a way to detect cancer before it even takes root? The answer is yes—gastroscopy, currently recognized as the “gold standard” for gastric cancer screening.
What exactly is a gastroscopy? Simply put, it is a flexible tube about the thickness of a chopstick, equipped with a high-definition camera and light source at the tip. Doctors gently insert it through the mouth into the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum to observe subtle changes in the digestive tract lining in real time. Modern gastroscopes can not only “see” polyps or mucosal abnormalities as small as a few millimeters but also collect tissue samples for pathological biopsy during the examination, or even remove early lesions—achieving “diagnosis and treatment in one step.”
Many people dread gastroscopy, believing it to be painful, damaging to the stomach, and high-risk. In reality, however, these concerns have been largely addressed by modern technology. Today, “painless gastroscopy” has become mainstream: patients receive intravenous short-acting anesthetics, complete the examination in a light sleep state, experience no pain or memory of the process, and wake up once the procedure is over. Studies show that over 90% of patients who undergo painless gastroscopy say they “would be willing to undergo it again,” far higher than the 65% rate for traditional gastroscopy.
More importantly, the precision of gastroscopy offers real hope for survival. Data indicates that the 5-year survival rate for early gastric cancer detected via gastroscopy is as high as 92.3%; once it progresses to the advanced stage, the survival rate drops to less than 10%. This means a single gastroscopy could be the difference between life and death.
So who should undergo a gastroscopy? China’s Gastric Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Guidelines and multiple international guidelines clearly state that the following groups should undergo regular screening:
Individuals over 40 years old: Regardless of symptoms, a first gastroscopy is recommended, followed by rechecks every 3–5 years based on results.
Those with a family history of gastric cancer: Especially if parents or siblings have had gastric cancer, screening should start at age 35.
Patients with chronic gastric diseases: Such as H. pylori infection, chronic atrophic gastritis, or gastric polyps—monitoring every 1–2 years is required.
Long-term consumers of high-salt, pickled, or barbecued foods, or heavy smokers and drinkers: These individuals should also be prioritized for screening.
However, a contradiction has emerged: in recent years, the incidence of gastric cancer among people under 35 has been on the rise, accounting for 6%–11% of all cases. Yet guidelines recommend starting screening at age 40. Does this mean young people have no choice but to “wait passively”?
The answer is: No. The current medical consensus is that universal gastroscopy screening is not recommended for asymptomatic young people under 35 with only unhealthy lifestyle habits. The reason is that while individual cases are alarming, the overall incidence of gastric cancer in young people remains low. Blind screening would not only be costly but also potentially cause unnecessary psychological burden and medical risks.
This does not mean “young people can rest easy,” however. True vigilance is required for those already experiencing gastric discomfort or with combined high-risk factors. If you suffer from long-term stomach pain, acid reflux, post-meal bloating, or have tested positive for H. pylori—even in your twenties—you should undergo a gastroscopy as soon as possible. Additionally, if your family has a history of early-onset gastric cancer (diagnosed before age 50), screening should start at age 35 or earlier.
For most asymptomatic young people, a more practical strategy is to first undergo non-invasive preliminary risk screening—such as a breath test for H. pylori or a fecal occult blood test to check for digestive tract bleeding. If results are abnormal, a referral for gastroscopy can follow. This approach improves efficiency and aligns with cost-effectiveness principles.
In the future, as the trend of younger gastric cancer patients continues, screening strategies may be gradually adjusted. Some studies have called for the establishment of more refined risk assessment models that integrate genetics, lifestyle, and biomarkers to enable personalized screening. Until then, what we can do is face risks head-on—neither panicking nor taking chances.
Gastroscopy is not a monster; it is a “health defense line” gifted to us by modern medicine. It cannot eliminate all fear, but it can turn the unknown into the known, and passive waiting into active prevention. In the face of gastric cancer, we do not have to wait for pain to strike before taking action. A single examination may rewrite destiny.
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