ABSTRACT
North Kerala is a high risk area for carcinoma stomach. Therefore, 'intestinal type' carcinoma of Lauren is more prevalent here and the disease occur even in people below the age of 40. An attempt is made to analyse various risk factors in 70 patients who had undergone gastrectomy for carcinoma stomach in Medical College Hospital, Calicut. The population study revealed no relationship between the disease and the various religious communities. Diet is found to be the most important potential environmental influence. Even though both males and females share the same type of diet, males are found to be more affected by the disease. The high frequency of female population in North Kerala with a low frequency of carcinoma stomach in them, suggests the possible role of smoking and alcohol abuse in males. The blood group profile of healthy population in North Kerala and that of the patients show that people with blood group A have a differential susceptability to gastric carcinoma. Age and chewing of tobacco were the other factors involved.