If a tumor in the stomach is detected early, the chances of recovery are good. If you notice the typical signs for more than four to eight weeks, you should have them clarified by your doctor.
1 / 14If you notice that you suddenly don't like your usual favorite foods such as schnitzel or your daily coffee, you should definitely observe the duration of this feeling and condition. According to the German Cancer Research Center, stomach cancer patients report that they suddenly developed an aversion to certain foods such as meat and drinks months before diagnosis. © Lian Fei/Imago2 / 14A recurring and persistent feeling of pressure in the upper abdomen can indicate a serious illness such as stomach cancer – stomach pain is one of the typical early symptoms. © YAY Images/Imago3 / 14Due to the feeling of pressure in the upper abdomen, it is not uncommon for affected persons to often have to belch unpleasantly, not only immediately after eating and drinking. © Thomas Trutschel/photothek/Imago4 / 14About 40 to 70 percent of people who develop stomach cancer experience frequent nausea, especially after eating. If this early symptom occurs regularly and for weeks, you should see a doctor. © AndreyPopov/Imago5 / 14Due to the nausea, those affected with an emerging stomach tumor often experience persistent loss of appetite, so that they eat much less food. © Monkey Business 2/Imago6 / 14Anyone who notices that they can no longer swallow well and is thus hindered in eating and drinking, should consult a doctor for clarification. Difficulty swallowing can indicate a tumor disease, but the cause can also be different in any case. © seacat/Imago7 / 14These are complaints that everyone has probably had and knows before: Feeling of fullness after eating. If it appears regularly or lasts longer and there is pain and a feeling of pressure in the upper abdomen, a disease such as gastritis or even stomach cancer can also be behind it. © Thunderstock/Imago8 / 14Constant heartburn can be a sign and trigger for stomach cancer. On the one hand, heartburn can indicate a stomach tumor as a symptom if the tumor is already so large that it presses on the stomach. As a trigger for stomach cancer, heartburn leads to a change in the mucosal cells, which can degenerate into cancer cells due to the constant irritation. © Igor Stevanovic/Imago
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My area9 / 14If the nausea and stomach pain are regularly joined by flatulence, which is sometimes painful, this could be a sign of a disease such as stomach cancer. © psodaz/Imago10 / 14Those affected notice bad breath in themselves or are approached about it by relatives. If you notice a difference for the worse – even though your oral hygiene is consistently good – you should contact your family doctor and, if necessary, a gastroenterologist. A gastroscopy to clarify tumor growth in the stomach could be useful. © Naoki Nishimura/AFLO/Imago11 / 14About 30 percent of those affected who develop a stomach tumor also experience vomiting. This symptom may increase as the cancer progresses. © AndreyPopov/Imago12 / 14Due to symptoms such as nausea, loss of appetite and vomiting, it is not uncommon for severe weight loss to occur. However, an unwanted weight loss is also considered a sign of stomach cancer. © Zoonar.com/Dasha Petrenko/Imago13 / 14As with colorectal cancer, people suffering from gastric cancer feel increasingly exhausted and tired for a long time, as well as performing poorly – due to the growing tumor and other symptoms. © Monkey Business 2/Imago14 / 14If there is an unusual darkening of the stool, this could be a sign of bleeding in the stomach. For clarification, you should consult a doctor through whom the so-called "tarry stool" can be examined in order to make a diagnosis. © Lutz Wallroth/Imago
According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), about 5,746 women and 9,131 men are diagnosed with stomach cancer in Germany every year. On average, men are affected at the age of 71 and women at the age of 76 – the risk of disease increases with age. Although the chances of recovery are quite good if the tumor is detected early, the warning signs of the disease are often not correctly interpreted by those affected and the visit to the doctor is very late. Around two-thirds of all cases of the disease are only discovered at an advanced and inoperable stage.
This makes it all the more important to pay attention to possible signs and symptoms such as swallowing difficulties, especially if they last longer than four to eight weeks, as the German Cancer Society explains.
Gastric cancer – Risk Factors
In particular, infection with the bacterium Helicobacter pylori
Chronic inflammation of the gastric mucosa
Anemia, so-called "pernicious anemia" due to vitamin B12 deficiency
Stomach ulcer
Reflux
Diet with frequent consumption of highly salted foods and low consumption of fresh vegetables and fruits
Smoke
Regular and high alcohol consumption
Genetic predisposition
Source: German Cancer Society
However, such symptoms do not always mean that there is a tumor disease of the stomach. All complaints can also have harmless causes. But this can only be determined by an appropriate examination for diagnostics – so it is better to go once too many than not to go to the doctor.
This article contains only general information on the respective health topic and is therefore not intended for self-diagnosis, treatment or medication. It is in no way a substitute for a visit to the doctor. Unfortunately, individual questions about clinical pictures may not be answered by our editors.