Stomach cancer develops when cells in any part of the stomach grow and divide abnormally. Tumours can begin anywhere in the stomach but most begin in the glandular tissue on the stomach's inner surface. This type of cancer is an adenocarcinoma of the stomach (gastric cancer).
Stomach cancer, also called gastric cancer, can happen in any part of the stomach. However, in the U.S., most stomach cancers occur in the gastroesophageal junction, which is where the esophagus - the tube that carries chewed up food - meets the stomach.
Stomach cancer often starts when cells that were once healthy begin growing out of control in the mucosa of the stomach lining. This collection of cancerous cells is known as a tumor, and over time these cells spread into other layers of the stomach.
feeling sick. pain in your stomach or breastbone. difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) vomiting (the vomit may be streaked with blood), although this is uncommon in the early stages.
Symptoms of stage 1 stomach cancer may include abdominal discomfort, indigestion, nausea, and bloating. At this stage, doctors typically recommend treatment with surgery to remove all or part of the stomach. They may follow this with chemotherapy to kill any remaining cancer cells.
In the early stages of gastric cancer, the following symptoms may occur: Indigestion and stomach discomfort. A bloated feeling after eating. Mild nausea.
For example, tests to measure your liver health might show problems caused by stomach cancer that spreads to the liver. Another type of blood test looks for pieces of cancer cells in the blood. This is called a circulating tumor DNA test. It's only used in certain situations for people with stomach cancer.
Stomach cancer occurs most often in the age group from 50 to 70 years and more often concerns men [1–3]. The percentage of gastric cancer in patients under 40 years old is estimated at a level of 2% to 8%.
Feeling sick (nausea) and being sick (vomiting) can be a sign of early or advanced stomach cancer. In the earlier stages of stomach cancer, you may find that you feel sick without vomiting. You may vomit if you have a blockage in your stomach, preventing food from passing through your digestive system.
As the cancer progresses, the symptoms that do appear can be misdiagnosed as normal gastrointestinal issues. As a result, stomach cancer can go undetected for years before the symptoms become concerning enough to warrant diagnostic testing.
Gastric cancer is more common in men, whose chances of developing it are 1 in 96 (by comparison, 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime). In women, the chance of developing stomach cancer is about 1 in 152.
Stomach cancer is a relatively common cancer in Australia, however the number of people diagnosed has been falling. It is estimated that more than 2,500 people were diagnosed with stomach cancer in 2022.
Stomach cancer can be cured if it's in the early stages. Often, though, diagnosis happens in later stages once symptoms begin.
Stomach cancer is a slow-growing cancer that usually develops over a year or longer.
You will have a CT scan of your stomach, chest and the area between your hips (pelvis) to find out where the cancer is and whether it has spread. It will help your doctors decide what treatment you need. You might also have CT scans during and after your treatment for stomach cancer.
Sometimes cancer can grow in the stomach for a long time before it causes symptoms. In the early stages, stomach cancer can cause the following symptoms: Indigestion, stomach discomfort, or heartburn.
An upper endoscopy—called endoscopic gastroduodenoscopy (EGD)—is a procedure that helps find most stomach cancers. During this test, a doctor looks inside your stomach with a thin, lighted tube called an endoscope. The doctor guides it through your throat and down into your stomach. You are sedated during this test.
Ultrasound produces images of organs from high-energy sound waves and echoes to help your care team detect and stage stomach cancer. It may also be used to check for tumors that have spread to other organs.
If the cancer is diagnosed and treated before it has spread outside the stomach, the 5-year relative survival rate is 72%. If the cancer has spread to surrounding tissues or organs and/or the regional lymph nodes, the 5-year relative survival rate is 33%.
Your insides hurt
Hallmarks of stomach cancer-related pain are that it's persistent and "gnawing," she says. "It's not something you feel for one day, and then it goes away for two weeks and comes back again." Also, "classic" stomach cancer pain is a dull ache in the middle of your stomach, she says.