How to Detect Stomach Cancer & Its Symptoms

Stomach cancer, also known as gastric cancer, affects 21,000 people in the United States each year. There is no definitive cause but certain lifestyle factors, such as smoking and obesity, increase your risk of developing the disease, states the National Cancer Institute. Symptoms of stomach cancer typically do not occur until the disease spreads to other areas of your body, such as the lungs and liver. Your doctor will use a series of tests to accurately identify the cancer and its stage.

Instructions

• 1

  Recognize the symptoms of gastric cancer. Common symptoms include passing or vomiting blood, stomach pain, weight loss, and feeling bloated. These are also symptoms of less serious conditions, such as ulcers or stomach infections, but only your doctor can make this determination.

• 2

  Visit your doctor. Explain your symptoms in detail, noting the frequency and context, such as feeling bloated after you eat.

• 3

  Undergo an endoscopy. Using local anesthesia, your doctor will pass a thin camera through your esophagus and into your stomach. The camera enables him to visually detect abnormal cell groups inside your stomach lining.

• 4

  Undergo a biopsy. If your doctor suspects cancer during the endoscopy, he will perform a biopsy to remove a small piece of tissue from your stomach for further testing.

• 5

  Wait for the lab results. Your doctor will send your tissue sample to the pathologist to determine for certain if the cells in your stomach are cancerous.