Signs and Symptoms of Stomach Cancer

Early-stage stomach cancer (gastric cancer) rarely causes symptoms. In countries where screening for stomach cancer is not routine, such as the United States, most stomach cancers aren’t found until they’ve grown fairly large or have spread outside the stomach.

When there are stomach cancer symptoms and signs, they can include:

• Poor appetite
• Weight loss (without trying)
• Abdominal (belly) pain
• Vague discomfort in the abdomen, usually above the navel
• Feeling full after eating only a small meal
• Heartburn or indigestion
• Nausea
• Vomiting, with or without blood
• Swelling or fluid build-up in the abdomen
• Blood in the stool, which might make the stool look dark brown or black
• Feeling tired or weak, as a result of having too few red blood cells (anemia)
• Yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice), if the cancer spreads to the liver

Most of these symptoms are more likely to be caused by things other than stomach cancer, such as a viral infection or an ulcer. Some of these problems may also be caused by other types of cancer. But people who have any of these stomach cancer symptoms, especially if they don’t go away or get worse, should see a doctor so the cause can be found and treated, if needed.

Learn more about the exams and tests doctors use when people have stomach cancer symptoms.