(dailyRx News) Drinking too much alcohol has been linked to a
number of diseases - ranging from gout to fatty liver. A new
study expands the number of health conditions on the list. Heavy
drinking has been linked to increased risks of gastric or
stomach cancer. These are the findings of a meta-analysis, which
examines and analyzes the results of similar studies. The meta-
analysis of various research was performed by researchers at the
Boston University Medical Center. For men, heavy drinking is
defined as having more than two drinks a day; for women, the
limit is one drink a day. Gastric cancer is often not diagnosed
until it's advanced. The type of gastric cancer linked to
drinking tended to be tumors involving the lower stomach called
the noncardia. However, the differences between tumors of the
gastric cardia (top of the stomach) and noncardia weren't
significant. The study also found there was no increased risk
linking drinking and gastric cancer among Asians. The reason for
this finding remains unclear.