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Summary
The stomach is an organ between the esophagus and the small intestine. It mixes food with stomach acid and helps digest protein. Stomach cancer mostly affects older people - two-thirds of people who have it are over age 65. Your risk of getting it is also higher if you:
- Have had a Helicobacter pylori infection
- Have had stomach inflammation
- Are a man
- Eat lots of salted, smoked, or pickled foods
- Smoke cigarettes
- Have a family history of stomach cancer
It is hard to diagnose stomach cancer in its early stages. Indigestion and stomach discomfort can be symptoms of early cancer, but other problems can cause the same symptoms. In advanced cases, there may be blood in your stool, vomiting, unexplained weight loss, jaundice, or trouble swallowing. Doctors diagnose stomach cancer with a physical exam, blood and imaging tests, an endoscopy, and a biopsy.
Because it is often found late, it can be hard to treat stomach cancer. Treatment options include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation or a combination.
NIH: National Cancer Institute
Diagnosis and Tests
- How Is Stomach Cancer Diagnosed? (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
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Risks of Stomach (Gastric) Cancer Screening
(National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
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Stages of Gastric Cancer
(National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
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Stomach (Gastric) Cancer Screening
(National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
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Tumor Marker Tests
(National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
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Upper Gastrointestinal (GI) Series
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Also in Spanish
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Upper GI Endoscopy
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Also in Spanish
Prevention and Risk Factors
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Stomach (Gastric) Cancer Prevention
(National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- What Are the Risk Factors for Stomach Cancer? (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
Treatments and Therapies
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Drugs Approved for Stomach (Gastric) Cancer
(National Cancer Institute)
- Gastrectomy - slideshow (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Surgery For Stomach Cancer (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
-
Treatment Option Overview (Gastric Cancer)
(National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
Living With
- What Happens After Treatment for Stomach Cancer? (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
Related Issues
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Helicobacter pylori and Cancer
(National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- Stomach Polyps (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
- What Causes Stomach Cancer? (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
- What Should You Ask Your Doctor about Stomach Cancer? (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
Genetics
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Hereditary diffuse gastric cancer: MedlinePlus Genetics
(National Library of Medicine)
Statistics and Research
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Cancer Statistics: Cancer of the Stomach
(National Cancer Institute)
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Incidence of Cancers of the Lower Stomach Increasing among Younger Americans
(National Cancer Institute)
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Pembrolizumab Secures FDA Approval in Stomach Cancer
(National Cancer Institute)
- What Are the Key Statistics about Stomach Cancer? (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
- What's New in Stomach Cancer Research and Treatment? (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Stomach Neoplasms
(National Institutes of Health)
Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Pharmacokinetic and bioequivalence study of two capecitabine tablets in Chinese patients...
- Article: Neoadjuvant therapy with immune checkpoint blockade, antiangiogenesis, and chemotherapy for locally...
- Article: Diagnostic evaluation of endoscopic ultrasonography with submucosal saline injection for differentiating...
- Stomach Cancer -- see more articles
Reference Desk
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Dictionary of Cancer Terms
(National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
Find an Expert
- American Cancer Society
- ASGE: Find a Doctor (American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy)
- Find a Cancer Doctor (American Society of Clinical Oncology)
- Find a Gastroenterologist (American College of Gastroenterology)
-
National Cancer Institute
Also in Spanish
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Organizations that Offer Cancer Support Services
(National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
Children
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Childhood Stomach (Gastric) Cancer Treatment
(National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
Patient Handouts
- Abdominal radiation - discharge (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- After chemotherapy - discharge (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Gastrectomy (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Radiation enteritis (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Stomach cancer (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish