What is Stomach Cancer?
Stomach cancer (also called gastric cancer) happens when cells in the lining of the stomach start growing out of control. It is common in Asia and often found late because early symptoms can feel exactly like normal indigestion.
the most common type, making up more than 90 out of 100 stomach cancers. It can be Intestinal (linked to H. pylori infection) or Diffuse (grows more aggressively and tends to affect younger patients)
starts in the wall of the stomach.
📌 Tandaan: Ang H. pylori infection ay isang pangunahing sanhi. Ang paggamot sa virus na ito ay maaaring makatulong na maiwasan ang stomach cancer.
Causes and Risk Factors
Chronic infection with a bacterium called H. pylori (Helicobacter pylori) is the main cause. Eating a lot of salty, smoked, or pickled foods and not eating enough fruits and vegetables also raise the risk.
Smoking doubles the risk. A family history of stomach cancer and rare genetic conditions like Hereditary Diffuse Gastric Cancer (HDGC) also make a person more likely to develop it.
Common Symptoms
- Persistent indigestion or stomach discomfort
- Feeling bloated or full after eating only a small amount of food
- Mild nausea and loss of appetite
- Unexplained weight loss and tiredness
- Blood in the stool (it may look black or tarry) or vomiting blood
- Difficulty swallowing (if the tumor is near the top of the stomach)
Diagnosis & Prognosis
A gastroscopy uses a thin tube with a camera passed through the mouth into the stomach. The doctor can see the stomach lining directly and take small tissue samples (biopsies). It is the most important tool for finding early stomach cancer.
EUS uses sound waves to see how deep the tumor has grown into the stomach wall and if nearby lymph nodes contain cancer cells. This helps doctors decide if chemotherapy before surgery is needed.
A CT scan of the chest, belly, and pelvis checks if the cancer has spread to the liver, lungs, or the lining of the abdominal cavity.
All advanced stomach cancers must be tested for HER2 — patients with HER2-positive tumors can benefit from a targeted drug called Trastuzumab. PD-L1 testing tells doctors if immunotherapy is also a good option.
The outlook is much better when stomach cancer is found early. In countries like Japan and South Korea, where screening is routine, cure rates are high. In the Philippines, late diagnosis makes it more difficult, but modern team-based care is improving outcomes.
Localized: 72 out of 100 people are still alive after 5 years. Regional: 33 out of 100. Distant: 6 out of 100.
Treatment Options
The main treatment is removing part (subtotal gastrectomy) or all (total gastrectomy) of the stomach, along with nearby lymph nodes. After the surgery, the remaining parts of the digestive system are reconnected.
For many patients, chemotherapy is given both before surgery (to shrink the tumor) and after surgery (to lower the chance of it coming back). The FLOT protocol is the current standard combination of drugs used.
For HER2-positive advanced stomach cancer, adding Trastuzumab (Herceptin) to chemotherapy is the standard first treatment.
Immunotherapy drugs like Nivolumab or Pembrolizumab are now used for advanced stomach cancer — especially for patients whose tumors are MSI-High or have high PD-L1 levels.
Jinshazhou Hospital offers minimally invasive gastrectomy, advanced IMRT/VMAT for gastric tumors, and the latest targeted and immunotherapy protocols.
Not sure which treatment applies to your case?
Get a personalised review from a Stomach Cancer specialist.
Our partner oncologists at Jinshazhou Hospital review your scans and pathology report and return a detailed recommendation — typically within 72 hours, at no cost.
Staging & Symptoms by Stage
Stomach cancer stages are based on how deep the tumor has grown into the stomach wall and how far it has spread to lymph nodes or other organs.
The tumor is only in the inner layers of the stomach. Usually no symptoms or only very mild indigestion. High chance of cure with surgery.
The tumor has grown into the muscle layer, or it has spread to a small number of lymph nodes. Mild symptoms like stomach pain, bloating, or loss of appetite may appear.
Large tumor or spread to many lymph nodes. Symptoms become clearer: weight loss, constant pain, and feeling full after eating only a small amount.
Cancer has spread to distant organs (liver, lungs, or the lining of the abdominal cavity). Symptoms include severe weight loss, yellowing of the skin, or fluid buildup in the belly.
What to Do If You Notice Symptoms
Noticing possible symptoms can be frightening — but taking the right steps quickly can dramatically change the outcome. Most symptoms are caused by non-cancerous conditions, but only a doctor can tell for sure.
⚠️ Go to the ER immediately if you experience: severe difficulty breathing, heavy uncontrollable bleeding, sudden severe pain, loss of consciousness, or stroke-like symptoms (facial drooping, one-sided weakness, slurred speech).
Note what you feel, when it started, how often it happens, and what makes it better or worse. List all medications you take and any family history of cancer.
Don't wait for symptoms to go away on their own. Persistent symptoms lasting more than 2–3 weeks always need medical evaluation.
Ask your doctor which tests they are ordering and why. Request a physical copy of every result. If a biopsy is needed, ask about molecular and genetic testing on the tissue sample.
- Don't rush into treatment. Take 1–2 weeks to gather information and a second opinion before committing to a plan.
- Request an MDT review. The best outcomes come from cases reviewed by surgeons, oncologists, radiation specialists, and pathologists together.
- Always get a second opinion. A second opinion is standard practice, not an insult to your doctor.
- Ask about clinical trials. They often give access to treatments not yet widely available locally.
The Cost of Waiting
Most people don't delay treatment out of carelessness. They delay because life is busy, symptoms seem minor, and fear makes it easier to wait. But with stomach cancer, every month of delay has a measurable cost — financial, physical, and personal.
A symptom appears — unusual fatigue, a persistent change, something that wasn't there before. It's easy to dismiss. "I'll wait and see if it goes away."
The symptom hasn't resolved. Life is busy. The thought of a diagnosis is frightening. Another month passes.
Pain, weight loss, or visible changes force the issue. A doctor is finally seen. Initial tests begin — but results take weeks, and the referral chain adds more time.
The stomach cancer has spread beyond its original site. Surgery alone is no longer sufficient. The plan now involves multiple treatments running together — and the goal shifts from cure to control.
Multiple chemotherapy lines. Targeted therapy. Repeat hospitalizations. Extended leave from work. The financial burden compounds every month treatment continues — with no clear end date.
The Financial Reality
Realistic cost ranges based on standard oncology care pathways in the Philippines and abroad. Actual costs vary by hospital, regimen, and stage.
- Primary treatmentSurgery + adjuvant chemo or radiation
- Duration4–6 months
- Hospitalizations1–2 planned admissions
- Work impact3–6 months leave
- 5-year survival70–90%
- Primary treatmentMultiple chemo lines + targeted therapy
- Duration12–36+ months, ongoing
- HospitalizationsMultiple unplanned admissions
- Work impact12+ months or permanent
- 5-year survival10–30%
💡 Why the gap is so large: Early-stage stomach cancer often needs one treatment (surgery). Late-stage needs several running at once — and when one stops working, another line begins. Costs multiply, and they don't stop.
The financial weight of cancer treatment can feel overwhelming — but it rarely has to be borne by one person. The people in your life — family, friends, community — love you, and most of them would do anything to help if they only knew what you were going through. Let them in. Share what you are facing. You may be surprised how quickly people rally when someone they care about needs them. A diagnosis is not a burden to hide — it is an invitation for the people who matter most to show up for you.
Why Patients Choose Jinshazhou Hospital of GZUCM
Most Filipino patients with stomach cancer eventually discover that the treatments with the best outcomes — NanoKnife (IRE) for inoperable tumors, CyberKnife SBRT for sub-millimetre precision radiotherapy, proton therapy, CAR-T cell therapy, and comprehensive molecular profiling — are either unavailable in the Philippines or require months-long waiting lists. Jinshazhou Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine offers all of these under one roof, with every case reviewed by a standing multi-disciplinary team before a single treatment is recommended. The cost is typically 50–70% less than Singapore, 60–75% less than Thailand, and up to 90% less than the United States — for the same technologies and international-standard care. See the full technology and treatment overview →
Detection & Treatment Timing — Outcome Matrix
Four possible journeys for a stomach cancer patient. Detection timing and treatment timing are independent decisions — and each combination produces a measurably different outcome.
Detection
Cancer caught before it spreads. One curative treatment course, short duration. Most patients return to normal life within 6–12 months.
Detected early but treatment was delayed — fear, denial, or access issues. The cancer advanced despite the early window. Outcomes worsen with every month of delay.
Detection
Found at an advanced stage but treatment started immediately. Multiple modalities required. High cost, prolonged treatment, but prompt action improves the odds.
Cancer found late and treatment further delayed. The highest financial burden combined with the lowest chance of long-term survival. Treatment focuses on control, not cure.
Patients treated at Stage I or II typically complete treatment in months — not years. They keep their hair, their energy, their routines. They return to work. They attend their children's graduations, their grandchildren's birthdays. Treatment becomes a chapter in their life, not the whole story.
Advanced treatment today can extend life by months — sometimes years. That time is not a consolation prize. It is the Sunday lunches, the long conversations, the slow mornings you didn't think you'd have. Every day gained is a day with the people who matter most.
Any of us can be taken without warning. But a diagnosis, as frightening as it is, offers something most people never receive: the chance to be intentional — to choose how you spend your time, to say what you've been meaning to say, to be fully present with the people you love most. That clarity is worth something. Don't let it pass without acting on it.
Cancer does not pause. Every week of delay is a week the disease uses to grow, to spread, to make treatment harder and options fewer. What is treatable today may not be operable in three months. What is curable this year may only be manageable next year. The window exists — but it will not stay open. The single most powerful thing you can do right now is pick up the phone and start the conversation. Everything else follows from that one decision.
Ready to explore your options for Stomach Cancer?
Submit your case and a specialist coordinator will connect you with the right oncologist at Jinshazhou Hospital — free, and with no obligation.