What are the symptoms of gastrointestinal (GI) or stomach cancer?

Early symptoms of gastric cancer include indigestion and stomach pain or discomfort; a sense of fullness in the upper abdomen especially after eating, loss of appetite, and mild nausea. More advanced stomach cancer may produce unexplained weight loss, stomach pain, vomiting, tarry (black) stool, trouble swallowing, jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes), and swelling of the abdomen.

Classic symptoms of stomach cancer include central upper abdominal pain, unexplained weight loss, and sometimes extreme fatigue due to blood loss. Patients with cancers of the gastroesophageal (GE) junction (the junction between the stomach and the esophagus) may also develop dysphagia (food sticking during swallowing) or odynophagia (pain during swallowing). It may be difficult at first for the patient or primary doctor to differentiate between signs and symptoms of a possible stomach ulcer, which is very common, versus the less common but more life-threatening diagnosis of stomach cancer.

Gastroenterologist Dr. Robynne Chutkan discusses the symptoms of stomach cancer. Watch Dr. Chutkan's video for information on digestive disorders and gastrointestinal issues.

Early Gastrointestinal (GI) / stomach cancer usually does not cause symptoms. Symptoms usually indicate advanced disease and include abdominal discomfort or pain, blood in stool, bloating (especially after eating), diarrhea or constipation, fatigue, gastrointestinal bleeding, indigestion or heartburn, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, and weight loss.

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Malignancies of the stomach generally occur later in life, after age 50. Tumors that burrow into the stomach wall often produce symptoms that resemble those associated with ulcers. Eating a full meal can become impossible if growths extrude into the hollow of the organ or spread through the stomach wall, making it too stiff to expand. Warning signs include bleeding, persistent vomiting, a constant sense of nausea or fullness that interferes with normal eating, and weight loss. Stomach cancer usually requires the surgical removal of all or part of the stomach.