Stomach cancer

Overview

The stomach is part of the digestive system that functions as temporary storage and breaks down food. It is centrally located in the upper left abdomen and under the ribs.

Stomach cancer or gastric cancer occurs when the cells in the stomach undergo abnormal mutation and rapid duplication, outgrowing the healthy cells. These cells then form a tumor which can damage the surrounding tissues. Stomach cancer may occur in any parts of the stomach. 

Symptoms

The following are the signs and symptoms of stomach cancer:

• Feeling bloated after a meal
• Feeling full after a small meal
• Nausea and vomiting
• Unexplained weight loss

If you notice these symptoms, consult your doctor.

Risk factors

The following are the risk factors of stomach cancer:

• Smoking
• Being overweight
• Low fiber diet
• Salty diet or eating a lot of smoked food
• Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
• Family history of gastric cancer
• Helicobacter pylori infection
• Chronic stomach inflammation (Gastritis)
• Stomach polyps