Symptoms of early stomach cancer can be like the symptoms of other common stomach problems such as a virus or stomach ulcer.

Common symptoms of stomach (gastric) cancer include:

heartburn or indigestion that does not go away
pain or discomfort in tummy (abdomen)
loss of appetite
feeling full after only eating a small amount
unexplained weight loss.

Other possible symptoms can include:

feeling or being sick
difficulty swallowing
burping a lot
black poo (stools)
feeling tired, weak or breathless.

It's important to talk to your GP or practice nurse and get any symptoms checked, particularly if you are experiencing symptoms which are unusual for you.

"The GPs didn’t really know what was wrong. They went through my family history and my father had had stomach ulcers, so that what they thought it was." - Elaine