Gastric cancer is the second largest cause of deaths due to cancer all over the world. Although the ratio of deaths due to it has decreased drastically over past few years in United States and Europe.This is due to improvements in eating habits and good facilities for preserving foods. Gastric cancer is also known as stomach cancer. It is more common among men than women. People of age above than 55 years are more likely to develop gastric cancers. Gastric cancer can develop in any part of the stomach. Stomach is the most important organ of the body from the digestive system point of view.

The food reaches the stomach through the esophagus, where it is converted into the liquid form for further digestion. It passes the liquid form of the food to the small intestine. It is situated in the upper abdomen, under the ribs. It is made up of five layers- mucosa (inner layer), sub mucosa (support tissue for inner lining), muscle layer, sub serosa (support tissue for outer lining) and serosa (outer layer). Cancer developed in the cells that make up the stomach is known as gastric or stomach cancer. Gastric cancer can spread to other parts of the body such as small intestine, esophagus, liver or lungs through the blood stream. A diet which is high in nitrates and salt and low in vitamin C and A is the major cause of gastric cancer. To avoid the risk of developing stomach cancer, we should take diet which has a good amount of fiber, raw fruits and vegetables and citrus fruits. Other factors which leads to the development of the tumor of gastric cancer are heavy smoking and obesity.

Gastric cancer shows no clear symptoms in it's initial stage, but symptoms start appearing in it's advanced stages. The gastric cancer symptoms which are noticed first of all are acidity and burping. Discomfort in the area of abdomen and stomach can be its major consequences. Internal bleeding can be major indicator of gastric cancer, which is tested only by a microscopic test which test for the blood in the stools. This bleeding may give rise to anemia which is the deficiency of red blood cells in the body. Anemia makes you feel tired, breathless and pale.

You may get a feeling of full up soon while eating your meals which results in unwanted weight loss and loss of appetite. Continuous weight loss may lead to several other serious problems. Other gastric cancer symptoms are diarrhea, fatigue and constipation. Constipation remaining for more than three weeks may cause nausea and vomiting. A feeling of the bloating of the stomach can be felt after taking meals. Other common gastric cancer symptoms include pain in the stomach or upper abdomen, blood clots in the legs and lungs, sickness and difficulty in swallowing. If you notice any of the above mentioned symptoms of gastric or stomach cancer, see a doctor as soon as possible for further treatment.