World Digestive Cancer Day highlights Portugal’s stomach cancer burden
As World Digestive Cancer Day is marked on September 30, there is renewed urgency to improve prevention and early diagnosis. The latest international data show that Portugal registered more than 18,000 new stomach cancer cases and about 11,700 deaths in 2022, roughly 30 lives lost each day. These figures underscore a reality that health professionals in Portugal have long warned about: stomach cancer remains a major public health challenge with a notable regional pattern.
Regional pattern: The North is hardest hit
Portugal continues to be among Western European countries with higher stomach cancer indicators, with the North bearing the heaviest burden. Experts point to a combination of factors that converge in this region, including traditional diets rich in salt, processed meats, and smoked products; a high prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection; and lifestyle risks such as alcohol and tobacco use, along with higher rates of obesity and physical inactivity. Those drivers are reinforced by systemic factors like access to timely screening and diagnostic services, which influence how soon a cancer is detected.
Understanding the risk factors
Beyond diet and infection, broader social determinants—such as income, education, and healthcare access—play a role in late presentation. While medical advances have improved treatment outcomes, late-stage diagnoses remain a barrier to survival for many Portuguese patients, particularly in rural and economically strained communities in the North.
Looking ahead: Projections for 2045
International projections raise concerns for the coming decades. Estimates indicate that the number of new digestive cancers in Portugal could rise by about 23% by 2045, with mortality increasing by more than 30%, potentially exceeding 15,000 deaths per year. These numbers stress the need for robust prevention strategies, enduring screening programs, and faster diagnostic pathways to intercept the disease earlier and improve survival.
Experts call to action: breaking the silence around the disease
Vítor Neves, President of Europacolon Portugal, emphasizes that one of the most worrying factors is the ongoing silence around stomach cancer, with symptoms often ignored for months before care is sought. He notes that Portugal remains the Western European country with the highest stomach cancer incidence, especially in the North, but these figures are not fate. The key is to break taboos, elevate public discussion about stomach cancer, invest in prevention, and guarantee broad access to screening and ongoing medical follow-up. Early signs such as reduced appetite, unexplained weight loss, persistent stomach pain or heartburn, and frequent indigestion should prompt timely medical evaluation.
A public health priority: prevention, screening, and timely care
The impact of digestive cancers extends beyond mortality. Patients often endure physical and emotional suffering, and many encounter delays in diagnosis and barriers to accessing screening. This situation underscores the urgent need for health policies centered on prevention, population awareness, and equitable access to routine screening, tests, and follow-up care that can save lives by catching cancers early.
World Digestive Cancer Day event: raising awareness in the North
To mark the day, Europacolon Portugal is organizing an awareness event at NorteShopping on September 30, from 11:00 to 15:00. The session focuses on gastric cancer and its particular impact in the North, aiming to bring information closer to the public, encourage attention to warning signs, and contribute to reversing a major health challenge in Portugal. The event seeks to empower people with knowledge and to mobilize communities to pursue preventive measures and timely medical evaluation.
References: Registo Oncológico Nacional 2020 – SNS Portugal; Globocan 2022 – IARC.
