CCS adapting to COVID-19 realities to support Canadians during and after the pandemic
Finding stomach cancer early
When stomach cancer is found and treated early, the chances of successful treatment are better. Get regular health checkups and see your doctor if you have:
- heartburn or indigestion
- bloating, discomfort or pain in the abdomen
- feeling full after a small meal
- feeling like food is getting stuck in the throat while eating
- nausea, vomiting or both
Some people have a higher than average risk of developing stomach cancer. You may be at a higher risk if you:
- have Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection
- smoke
- have a family history of stomach cancer
- have an inherited condition such as hereditary diffuse gastric cancer (HDGC), familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), Lynch syndrome, Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, juvenile polyposis syndrome, Li-Fraumeni syndrome or BRCA gene mutations
- have a stomach condition such as chronic atrophic gastritis, intestinal metaplasia, gastric epithelial dysplasia, adenomas, Ménétrier disease, pernicious anemia
- had stomach surgery
- have type A blood
Talk to your doctor about your risk. If you are at higher than average risk, you may need a personal plan for testing. This may include:
- blood, breath or stool test for H. pylori
- upper gastrointestinal (GI) series
- upper GI endoscopy (also called gastroscopy)
Stories
We realize that our efforts cannot even be compared to what women face when they hear the words ... ‘you have cancer.’
How can you stop cancer before it starts?
Discover how 16 factors affect your cancer risk and how you can take action with our interactive tool – It’s My Life! Presented in partnership with Desjardins.
