Stomach cancer is a type of cancer that develops in the lining of the stomach. Also, known as Gastric cancer, it affects the elderly more than the adult. According to the American Cancer Society, about 6 of every 10 people diagnosed with stomach cancer each year are 65 or older. Also, the lifetime risk of developing stomach cancer is higher in men (about 1 in 101) than in women (about 1 in 155).

A health expert, speaking to a leading media house, emphasized five common symptoms of stomach cancer that should not be ignored:

1. Unexplained weight loss: Losing weight without trying or experiencing an unexplained drop in appetite, which may signal cancer progression.

2. Pain in the upper part of the abdomen: Persistent or occasional pain in the stomach area, often after eating, can become more severe as the condition progresses.

3. Frequent vomiting after meals: Nausea, sometimes accompanied by vomiting, may occur especially after meals and is linked to cancer blocking or irritating the stomach.

4. Vomiting blood, which may appear coffee-colored: This can indicate bleeding in the stomach, often caused by ulcers or tumors, and requires immediate medical attention.

5. Black, tarry stools: This occurs when blood from the stomach is digested and passed through the intestines, signaling potential internal bleeding

There are also other concerning signs that should not be overlooked such as jaundice, unexplained weight loss, early onset of diabetes, dark stools, and loss of appetite. Health experts strongly advise seeking immediate medical attention if you notice any of these symptoms. If you or a loved one experience these signs, it's crucial to visit a physician for a thorough evaluation to rule out serious underlying health conditions.

How Does Stomach Cancer Spread?

Oncologist Dr Pankaj Kumar Pande, Director–Surgical Oncology, Max Super Specialty Hospital, Shalimar Bagh, Delhi explained that this form of cancer spreads through three main pathways: Direct spread, lymphatic spread, and bloodstream.

1. Direct Spread: In its early stages, stomach cancer can invade nearby tissues and grow into the deeper layers of the stomach or spread to surrounding organs such as the oesophagus, liver, pancreas, or intestines.

2. Lymphatic Spread: Cancer cells can travel through the lymphatic system. The most common areas affected are the regional lymph nodes near the stomach, particularly those around the liver and diaphragm.

3. Bloodstream: "Cancer cells can enter the bloodstream and travel to distant parts of the body," which is a common route for stomach cancer to metastasize to distant organs.

He further explained that cancerous cells spread from the original tumour to other parts of the body through a process called Metastasis. The most common sites for the spread are the liver, lymph nodes, peritoneum, lungs, bones, and ovaries.

Dengue cases are rising in Florida, with 73 locally acquired infections reported statewide, including 59 in Hillsborough County, according to the latest Florida Department of Health surveillance report covering August 23–29.

Ten counties are currently under a mosquito-borne illness advisory or alert, prompting health officials to urge residents to take precautions against mosquito bites.

Florida Reports 208 Dengue Cases In 2026

According to the CDC Dengue Data Dashboard, Florida has recorded 208 dengue cases this year. Of these, 73 were locally acquired, while 135 were travel-associated. Hillsborough County accounts for most of the locally acquired infections, with 59 cases. Other local cases have been reported in Miami-Dade, Pinellas, Palm Beach, Orange and Citrus counties.

The CDC has reported 1,735 dengue cases across the US and its territories in 2026 as of early September. New York, California, Washington and New Jersey have also reported cases.

Health Officials Urge Mosquito Bite Protection

Dengue is transmitted through the bite of infected Aedes mosquitoes, which can breed in small amounts of standing water around homes and businesses. Even a bottle cap containing stagnant water can provide enough water for mosquitoes to breed.

State Surgeon General Dr. Joseph A. Ladapo joined local officials in Hillsborough County to urge residents to protect themselves from mosquito-borne illnesses.

“As families across Florida prepare to enjoy Labor Day weekend, I encourage everyone to take few simple precautions to protect themselves and their families from mosquitos bites,” said State Surgeon General Dr. Joseph A. Ladapo.

“Use insect repellent, cover up when possible, and remove standing water around your home. Individual prevention helps protect you and your community,” he added.

Why Are Locally Acquired Dengue Cases Rising In The US?

Most dengue infections in the continental US are still associated with international travel. But when an infected traveller returns to an area where Aedes aegypti or Aedes albopictus mosquitoes are present, the virus can enter the local mosquito population.

An infected mosquito can then transmit the virus to other people, creating a cycle of local transmission.

In 2024, 97.2% of dengue cases in the US were travel-associated, according to the CDC. However, states such as Florida can experience local outbreaks because dengue-carrying mosquitoes are already established in parts of the country.

Local transmission requires three factors to overlap:

• an infected person,
• competent mosquitoes
• people who can become infected.

When an Aedes mosquito bites someone carrying dengue virus, it can acquire the virus and later pass it to another person. Repeated mosquito-to-human transmission can then fuel a local outbreak.

Climate May Also Influence Dengue Spread

Temperature and other environmental conditions affect mosquito survival, reproduction and biting behavior, as well as how quickly dengue virus develops inside the mosquito.

Warmer conditions can therefore create more favorable conditions for dengue transmission and potentially expand the areas where these mosquitoes can survive.

The World Health Organization (WHO) today recognized India for sustaining maternal and neonatal tetanus elimination for a decade.

The recognition came during the 79th session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia in Dili, Timor-Leste, and was received by Union Health Minister JP Nadda.

“A proud moment for India at the 79th Session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia!” the Health Ministry said in a post on X.

India was also honored for its “strong leadership in tackling NCDs through primary health care, with national targets achieved for protocol-based management of hypertension and diabetes.”

The Ministry described the recognition as “a tribute to our frontline health workers, whose dedication continues to strengthen India’s health system and improve health outcomes for all.”

India’s Journey Towards Tetanus Elimination

India was validated for maternal and neonatal tetanus elimination (MNTE) in April 2015, ahead of the global target of December 2015.

The country completed validation across all 36 states and union territories.

The achievement was driven by high routine immunization coverage, institutional births, clean delivery and clean cord practices, and an effective surveillance system.

Elimination as a public health problem means the annual rate of maternal and neonatal tetanus is less than one case per 1,000 live births.

Also read:Indigenous Td Vaccine Rollout In India To Boost Immunity In Children, Adults, Say Experts

How Were Mothers and Newborns Protected?

The risk of tetanus infection in mothers and newborns is linked to unsafe deliveries, particularly those taking place in insanitary conditions or assisted by untrained traditional birth attendants, or dais.

In the 1980s, more than one million deaths every year were attributed to tetanus, with an estimated 787,000 deaths from neonatal tetanus alone in India in 1988.

In 1989, the World Health Assembly adopted a resolution to eliminate neonatal tetanus by 1995 through increased availability of tetanus toxoid vaccine.

In the early 1990s, maternal tetanus was estimated to account for about 5% of maternal mortality, or 15,000–30,000 deaths every year.

In 1999, maternal tetanus elimination was added to the neonatal tetanus elimination program, which was renamed the Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus Elimination (MNTE) Program.

"Tetanus is a dangerous disease that accounted for hundreds of thousands of deaths in the past, mainly among newborn babies. These babies were at risk because deliveries were often conducted in unclean settings where it was easy for the freshly cut umbilical stump to get infected with the spores of tetanus bacteria from the environment," Dr. Rajeev Jayadevan, Ex-President of IMA Cochin and Convener of the Research Cell, Kerala, told HealthandMe.

He said that the infection rate dropped drastically after shifting deliveries to clean hospital facilities, conducted by professionals using sterile instruments.

"Simultaneously, widespread vaccination of pregnant women ensured that maternal protective antibodies were transferred across the placenta, giving babies built-in immunity right from birth," the expert added.

Read More: Thailand Eliminates Rubella: How This Vaccine-Preventable Virus Causes Birth Defects

TT Immunization During Pregnancy

TT immunization during pregnancy played a major role in reducing maternal and neonatal tetanus cases.

The MNTE program focused on strengthening routine immunization, including tetanus toxoid (TT) vaccine coverage, improving clean delivery practices through institutional births and training birth attendants.

The launch of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) in 2005 further strengthened these initiatives. Schemes promoting safe motherhood, including the Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY), also gave the program a boost.

Mission Indradhanush and Immunization Coverage

Further, Mission Indradhanush launched in 2014, set a goal of increasing immunization coverage by 5% every year.

Focusing on 201 districts with low routine immunization performance, the initiative reached children who were unvaccinated or partially vaccinated against seven vaccine-preventable diseases: diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, polio, tuberculosis, measles and hepatitis B.

Greater awareness about the availability, safety and efficacy of life-saving vaccines, the importance of safe deliveries and government entitlements for pregnant women contributed to increased immunization coverage and helped India achieve maternal and neonatal tetanus elimination.

An estimated 2.71 billion people globally were exposed to second-hand smoke (SHS) in 2023, accounting for nearly one-third of the world's population, according to a new study published in The Lancet.

About 767 million children aged up to 14 years were exposed to SHS, potentially putting them at risk of long-term health effects, including respiratory problems and asthma.

Overall, exposure to SHS contributed to nearly 1.7 million deaths and the loss of about 45 million years of potentially healthy life worldwide.

Study Spans 204 Countries And Territories

The analysis, based on data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2023 study, examined SHS exposure and its health impact across 204 countries and territories between 1990 and 2023.

Although the proportion of people exposed to SHS fell by 22% worldwide over this period, the estimated number of people exposed remained nearly unchanged.

Exposure rose sharply in sub-Saharan Africa and North Africa and the Middle East, driven largely by population growth.

Women and children experienced some of the greatest impacts. In Southeast Asia, East Asia and Oceania, women were 59% more likely to be exposed to SHS than men.

Also read: Alcohol-Linked Cancer Deaths Doubled In US: Colorectal Leads In Men, Breast Leads In Women

Second-Hand Smoke Takes A Heavy Health Toll

SHS remains a major source of illness and death among non-smokers. Across all ages, ischemic heart disease was the leading cause of SHS-attributable deaths in 2023, accounting for approximately 537,000 deaths.

It was followed by:

• COPD: 354,000 deaths
• Stroke: 278,000
• Lower respiratory disease: 185,000
• Tracheal, bronchus and lung cancer: 161,000

In 2023, ischemic heart disease also had the highest age-standardized DALY rate among the nine health outcomes assessed, at 132.5 per 100,000, representing about 12 million DALYs globally. More than 10% of global COPD DALYs and more than 8% of tracheal, bronchus and lung cancer DALYs were attributable to SHS in 2023.

Children Face Respiratory Health Risks

Read More: This Common Heart Attack Risk Starts Silently In Healthy People In Their 20s

Children are particularly vulnerable because their respiratory and immune systems are still developing.

Among children and adolescents, lower respiratory infections had the largest SHS-attributable burden at 254.6 per 100,000, followed by asthma at 17.3 per 100,000 and otitis media at 2.1 per 100,000.

Asthma accounted for 3.4% of total SHS-attributable DALYs globally, rising to 6.3% among children and adolescents.

The health burden also varied by region. In South Asia, COPD was the leading cause of SHS-attributable DALYs at 226.2 per 100,000, while lower respiratory infections accounted for the largest burden in sub-Saharan Africa.

China, India And Indonesia Among Most Exposed

There is no safe level of exposure to second-hand smoke. Under Article 8 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, countries are called on to protect people from tobacco smoke in workplaces, public transport and indoor public places.

Yet approximately 70% of the world's population is not protected by comprehensive smoke-free laws. Domestic settings, where exposure can be prolonged, also remain largely unregulated.

Further, the study showed China, India and Indonesia together account for almost half of the global population exposed to SHS. These countries also have some of the highest smoking prevalences globally.

The researchers say smoke-free policies can directly reduce exposure and may also encourage smoking cessation by changing social norms.

They recommend combining smoke-free measures with tobacco taxation, marketing bans, plain packaging and smoking-cessation programs to reduce smoking prevalence and discourage people from taking up tobacco.