What are the symptoms of stomach cancer?

Digestive symptoms can include burning or discomfort after eating, nausea, bloating, early fullness, or difficulty swallowing when the upper stomach is involved. Pain may be in the upper abdomen and can be vague at first. Reduced appetite and feeling full after a small amount of food may gradually affect nutrition.

Bleeding can cause vomiting of fresh blood or material that looks like coffee grounds, and it can make stools dark and tar-like. Indigestion, reflux, ulcers, infection, and medicines can cause similar symptoms, so symptoms alone cannot identify stomach cancer.

Arrange a medical review for indigestion, upper abdominal pain, early fullness, appetite loss, or weight loss that persists, recurs, or interferes with eating. Mention difficulty swallowing, vomiting, dark stools, previous stomach ulcers, and medicines such as anti-inflammatory pain relievers. A clinician may recommend blood tests, imaging, or an endoscopy with biopsy.

When stomach cancer is diagnosed, treatment depends on its position and extent. Care may include chemotherapy, stomach removal surgery, nutritional support, and treatment for symptoms such as pain or nausea. Ask how eating and digestion may change after treatment.

Seek urgent care for vomiting blood, black tar-like stool, faintness, severe or worsening abdominal pain, repeated vomiting, a swollen abdomen, or inability to keep fluids down. These symptoms can indicate bleeding, dehydration, or blockage and should not wait for a routine appointment.

Ask whether your symptoms need an endoscopy, which warning signs should prompt urgent care, and how medicines or ulcers might contribute. If testing finds cancer, ask about its location, nutrition support, chemotherapy, and whether stomach removal surgery is being considered.