Could That Full Feeling Be a Sign of Something Serious? 

What Is Stomach Cancer? 

Stomach cancer starts when abnormal cells grow out of control in the stomach. Your stomach sits in the top middle part of your belly, just below your ribs. Its job is to help break down the food you eat. 

Cancer in the stomach can form in any area. For most patients, it often begins where the esophagus (the tube that carries food from your mouth) connects with the stomach. 

Where the cancer starts helps doctors decide how to treat it. Other important factors include how advanced the cancer is and what kind of cells are involved. Treatment often starts with surgery to remove the tumor. Other treatments may be added before or after surgery. 

Catching stomach cancer early is key. If it is found when it is still inside the stomach, there is a good chance it can be cured. But most cases are found late, after the cancer has already spread.  

Common Warning Signs 

In the beginning, stomach cancer might not cause symptoms. As it grows, you might notice: 

• Trouble swallowing 

• Belly pain or pressure 

• Feeling full quickly when eating 

• Bloating after meals 

• Heartburn or indigestion 

• Feeling sick or throwing up 

• Losing weight without trying 

• Feeling tired all the time 

• Black-colored stools (a sign of bleeding) 

*Advanced cancer might spread to other body parts. If it spreads to the liver, skin or eyes might turn yellow. If it spreads in the belly, the stomach area may swell with fluid. Lumps under the skin could mean it is in the lymph nodes. 

What Causes It? 

Doctors do not know the exact cause of most stomach cancers. But they believe the disease often begins when the lining of the stomach gets damaged. This can happen due to long-term infections, frequent acid reflux or eating lots of salty foods. Not everyone with these issues will get cancer, so other factors likely play a role. 

Cancer starts when something changes in a cell’s DNA. These changes tell the cell to grow fast and not die like it should. The result is a lump of extra cells called a tumor. As it grows, the tumor can damage healthy tissues and may spread to other areas of the body. This is called metastasis.  

Types of Stomach Cancer 

There are different types based on the cells where the cancer begins: 

• Adenocarcinoma: The most common type. It starts in mucus-making cells in the stomach lining. 

• GIST (Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors): Starts in special nerve-like cells in the stomach wall. 

• Carcinoid Tumors: Grows from hormone-making cells called neuroendocrine cells. 

• Lymphoma: A rare cancer that starts in the stomach’s immune cells, often after long-term infections. 

What Increases Risk? 

You might be more likely to get stomach cancer if you: 

• Have long-term acid reflux 

• Eat a lot of salty or smoked food 

• Eat few fruits and vegetables 

• Have a Helicobacter pylori infection 

• Have inflammation in your stomach lining 

• Smoke 

• Have non-cancerous growths (polyps) in the stomach 

• Have a family history of stomach cancer or inherited cancer syndromes 

Can You Prevent It? 

There’s no sure way to stop stomach cancer, but you can lower your risk by: 

• Eating more fruits and vegetables 

• Avoiding salty or smoked foods 

• Not smoking 

• Telling your doctor if stomach cancer runs in your family 

*If your family has a history of stomach cancer, your doctor might suggest screening. Screening means checking for cancer before symptoms appear. 

How Doctors Diagnose It 

Doctors use several tools to find out if you have stomach cancer: 

• Upper Endoscopy: A thin, flexible tube with a camera is passed down your throat to look at the stomach lining. 

• Biopsy: A small sample of tissue is taken during endoscopy and tested in a lab for cancer cells. 

To see how far the cancer has spread (this is called staging), other tests may be used: 

• Blood Tests: Help check overall health or spot cancer markers. 

• Ultrasound: A special tool may be passed into your stomach to take pictures and check for deeper cancer growth. 

• CT or PET Scans: Show whether cancer has spread to other organs. 

• Surgery: Sometimes, surgery is needed to find out exactly where the cancer has spread. 

*Cancer is staged from 0 to 4. Stage 0 is the earliest, when the cancer is only in the top layer of the stomach. Stage 4 means it has spread to other organs. 

What Are the Treatment Options? 

Treatment depends on where the cancer is, its stage, and your overall health. The most common treatments are: 

1. Surgery

• Endoscopic Mucosal Resection: Small tumors can sometimes be removed using a tube passed through your mouth. 

• Subtotal Gastrectomy: The doctor removes part of your stomach. 

• Total Gastrectomy: The entire stomach is removed, and the esophagus is attached to the small intestine. 

• Lymph Node Removal: Lymph nodes near the stomach may also be taken out. 

• Palliative Surgery: If the cancer can not be cured, surgery might help ease symptoms. 

2. Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy uses strong medicines to kill cancer cells. It may be given: 

• Before surgery to shrink the tumor (called neoadjuvant therapy) 

• After surgery to kill any remaining cancer cells (called adjuvant therapy) 

• Alone, if surgery is not possible or cancer comes back 

*There is also a special type, called HIPEC, where heated medicine is placed directly in the belly after surgery. It is used in rare cases for very advanced stomach cancer. 

3. Radiation Therapy

Radiation uses energy beams to kill cancer. It is often used along with chemotherapy. It can help: 

• Shrink tumors before surgery 

• Kill leftover cancer cells after surgery 

• Ease pain or other symptoms if the cancer cannot be removed 

4. Targeted Therapy

This treatment uses drugs that target specific parts of cancer cells. Not all cancers respond, so your cells may be tested first. 

5. Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy boosts your immune system so it can better attack the cancer. It is usually used for advanced stages or if other treatments have not worked.  

Final Thoughts 

Early-stage stomach cancer has a better chance of being cured. Advanced stages can still be treated, but the goal may shift to slowing the cancer and easing symptoms. Your care team will talk with you about your options and help guide you through every step. 

Get Expert Care for Stomach Cancer  

If you think you may have stomach cancer or symptoms like belly pain, unexplained weight loss or trouble eating, I am here to help. As a hematologist and oncologist, I specialize in diagnosing and treating blood disorders and cancer. 

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Sandeep Singh:  

Call: 601-518-7054   

Referral Email: ashli.palmer@scrmc.com 
Your health is important. Let’s work together to manage it.