Endoscopy Ulcerated Stomach Cancer

Stomach cancer is often either asymptomatic (producing no noticeable symptoms) or it may cause only nonspecific symptoms (symptoms which are not specific to just stomach cancer, but also to other related or unrelated disorders) in its early stages. By the time symptoms occur, the cancer has often reached an advanced stage (see below) and may have also metastasized (spread to other, perhaps distant, parts of the body), which is one of the main reasons for its relatively poor prognosis.[citation needed] Stomach cancer can cause the following signs and symptoms:

Stage 1 (Early)
Indigestion or a burning sensation (heartburn)
Loss of appetite, especially for meat
Abdominal discomfort or irritation

Stage 2 (Middle)
Weakness and fatigue
Bloating of the stomach, usually after meals

Stage 3 (Late)
Abdominal pain in the upper abdomen
Nausea and occasional vomiting
Diarrhea or constipation
Weight loss
Bleeding (vomiting blood or having blood in the stool) which will appear as black. This can lead to anemia.
Dysphagia; this feature suggests a tumor in the cardia or extension of the gastric tumor in to the esophagus.