Symptoms and diagnosis

Depending where in the stomach the cancer is, different symptoms may show which could include: 

• Difficulty swallowing 

• A loss of appetite 

• Unexplained weight loss  

• Abdominal/stomach pain  

• Feeling and/or being sick  

• Indigestion (a pain/discomfort in your chest, after eating and/or drinking)  

• Dark coloured stool (poo) 

• Tiredness  

Some of these symptoms may be linked to other conditions, such as benign ulcers. If you have any concerns about any of the above symptoms, you should contact your GP to discuss these in the first instance. 

If your GP has referred you to a specialist, you may have a test that is known as a endoscopy. This is done by inserting a long, thin tube with a small camera inside your body that looks at your food pipe (oesophagus), stomach and part of your small bowel. This is usually done within 2 weeks. If this test shows you have cancer cells, you will also further tests to see if it has spread outside the stomach and which layers of the stomach the cancer is in.