Stomach Cancer also known as gastric cancer according to cancer.org, is a cancer that grows inside of your stomach. But to really understand it you have to know the structure and functions of the stomach. This image by cancer.org shows where your stomach is located:
Whenever you eat food it is chewed and swallowed entering the esophagus, then meeting the stomach at the gastroesophageal junction. Our stomachs are sac-like organs that hold food and disgusts it by making gastric juice. Food and gastric juice are mixed and then go into the first part of the small intestine which is called duodenum. The area between the chest and the pelvic is is called the abdomen. So if you are having pain in this area it is not called a stomach ache, because the pain could be coming from the appendix, small intestine, colon (large intestine) or other organs in the area meanings it’s abdominal pain.
It is important not to confuse stomach cancer with other cancers in the abdomen like colon cancer, liver, pancreas, or small intestine. These cancers all have different symptoms, treatments and outlooks. There are five parts of the stomach, Cardia, Fundus, Body (corpus), Antrum, Pylorus. Here is a picture from cancer.org:
Stomach cancer develop slowing over many years, before true cancer develops pre-cancerous changes often occur in the inner lining of the stomach. Symptoms for stomach cancer are unexplained weight loss, stomach pain, feeling full, heartburn, nausea and vomiting. It is important to make sure that you pay attention to how your body feels. November bring awareness to stomach cancer, and so you can learn more here.