People with stomach cancer may experience the following symptoms or signs. Sometimes, people with stomach cancer do not show any of these symptoms. Or, these symptoms may be caused by a medical condition that is not cancer. Stomach cancer is usually not found at an early stage because it often does not cause specific symptoms. When symptoms do occur, they may be vague and can include:
Signs and Symptoms of Stomach Cancer
- A sense of fullness in the upper abdomen after eating a small meal
- Abdominal (belly) pain
- Fatigue
- Feeling bloated after eating
- Feeling full after eating small amounts of food
- Heartburn or indigestion
- Indigestion that is severe and unrelenting
- Low red blood cell count (anemia)
- Nausea that is persistent and unexplained
- Poor appetite
- Stomach pain
- Swelling or fluid build-up in the abdomen
- Vague discomfort in the abdomen, usually above the navel
- Vomiting, with or without blood
- Weight loss (without trying)
Most of these symptoms are more likely to be caused by things other than cancer, such as a stomach virus or an ulcer. They may also occur with other types of cancer. But people who have any of these problems, especially if they don’t go away or get worse, should check with their doctor so the cause can be found and treated. Since symptoms of stomach cancer often do not appear until the disease is advanced, only about 1 in 5 stomach cancers in the United States is found at an early stage, before it has spread to other areas of the body.
Signs and Symptoms of Stomach Cancer.
