Stomach cancer, also known as gastric cancer, occurs when cancer cells form in the lining of the stomach, eventually forming a tumor. In the United States, nearly 30,000 new cases of stomach cancer are diagnosed each year.

In its early stages, stomach cancer may be asymptomatic. However, in the later stages, common signs of the condition include indigestion, a bloated feeling after meals, heartburn, nausea, fatigue, stomach pain, unintentional weight loss, and loss of appetite. The lack of symptoms in the early stages makes it one of the more difficult cancers to diagnose early.

As with most cancer, stomach cancer occurs due to a mutation in the cell’s DNA. However, risk factors that may increase the likelihood of stomach cancer include a poor diet high in salty and smoked foods and low in fruits and vegetables; family history of the condition; smoking; stomach polyps; and pernicious anemia.

Treatment of stomach cancer includes surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and medication. Drug classes commonly used to treat stomach cancer are pyrimidine analogs, taxanes, antineoplastic monoclonal antibodies, and anthracyclines.