Many people believe that stomach cancer is a concern only for middle-aged and elderly people.
But 33-year-old Cheng told us with her experience that youth is never a "get out of jail free card" for cancer. From stomach discomfort to being diagnosed with advanced gastric cancer, she missed four warnings from her body.
At the age of 33, I was diagnosed with advanced gastric cancer
According to China News Weekly, in January 2026, Ms. Cheng, a 33-year-old woman, was diagnosed with advanced gastric cancer. The distance between her and gastric cancer was not that great.
At the end of August last year, she began to experience stomach discomfort after taking antibiotics for pneumonia. She always felt that food was stuck in her chest after eating and burped frequently. She thought it was a drug reaction and didn't pay attention to it.
In November, her acid reflux and regurgitation worsened, and in severe cases, acidic water would rush out of her nostrils. She took medication for reflux esophagitis, but started vomiting frequently and lost 7 pounds in a week. After discontinuing the medication, her vomiting eased, but she continued to bear with it.
In December, her weight had dropped by 5 kilograms. The doctor ordered a gastroscopy, but she delayed it for more than half a month before going for the examination.
She had no history of Helicobacter pylori infection or family history of gastric cancer. She neither smoked nor drank alcohol, and had been practicing yoga and keeping fit for a long time. However, cancer still came knocking at her door.
What are the commonalities among young patients with gastric cancer
Unhealthy habits, work pressure, and genetic family history are widely recognized as high-risk factors for stomach cancer. Although stomach cancer is most common among people aged 40-60, the proportion of patients under 35 has significantly increased in recent years. They often exhibit these characteristics:
1. Irregular lifestyle
Young people generally have a fast pace of life and work, face high work pressure, and lead a very irregular lifestyle, with staying up late becoming the norm.
2. Unhealthy diet
Young people, seeking convenience, often order takeout or eat barbecue together as a late-night snack. Spicy barbecue and other heavy-flavored foods can strongly irritate or even damage the gastric mucosa. Many also suffer from irregular meals, with meals being consumed in a chaotic manner.
3. Lucky mentality
Over 70% of early gastric cancers exhibit no symptoms. Young people, believing themselves to be physically robust and able to withstand discomfort, often endure discomfort and become fearful upon hearing that they need to undergo a gastroscopy. Many only seek medical attention when the discomfort becomes unbearable, often by which time the disease has progressed to an advanced stage.
From gastritis to gastric cancer, it's only 4 steps
The pathological changes of the stomach usually follow this path:
Non-atrophic gastritis → Atrophic gastritis → Intestinal metaplasia → Dysplasia → Gastric cancer
This process often takes several years or even decades, and only about 1% of people will reach the final stage. However, once moderate or severe atrophic gastritis with intestinal metaplasia or dysplasia occurs, the risk increases significantly.
Many patients with atrophic gastritis exhibit no obvious symptoms, while a minority may experience mild upper abdominal pain, abdominal distension, early satiety, belching, acid reflux, etc. Although these symptoms do not equate to gastric cancer, if left untreated, they may progress to gastric ulcer, gastrointestinal bleeding, or even canceration.
What is even more alarming is that young people with chronic atrophic gastritis tend to have a longer course of disease, are more prone to intestinal metaplasia or dysplasia, and actually face a higher risk of gastric cancer.
5 signs indicating the transformation of gastric disease into gastric cancer
The transformation of gastric diseases into gastric cancer is accompanied by the following five signs:
1. Change in pain nature
Whether it's gastritis or gastric ulcer, the abdominal pain during the onset of the disease has its own characteristics. Taking gastric ulcer as an example, normally, pain will occur about an hour after a meal. If this pain becomes persistent and irregular, one should be alert to the possibility of canceration.
2. A lump appears in the upper abdomen
Pay attention to the condition of your abdomen. If you can feel a hard, painful lump in your chest when pressed, you need to take notice. Otherwise, as the lump grows, it may affect your back, chest, and even the area behind your sternum, leading to increased discomfort.
3. Heartburn and acid reflux
Heartburn typically occurs in the lower part of the sternum, commonly referred to as the "heartburn area", and feels like a burning sensation, akin to a fire burning inside.
The stomach secretes gastric acid, while the esophagus is alkaline. When acidic substances "leak" into the esophagus, they can corrode the esophageal mucosa. In severe cases, this can lead to reflux esophagitis, esophageal ulcer, esophageal stenosis, or even cancer.
4. Sudden weight loss
Patients with stomach diseases have weakened digestive ability, and are prone to symptoms such as appetite loss, diarrhea, and fatigue, which are normal phenomena.
However, if there is a rapid deterioration of the body in a short period of time, with impaired absorption of nutrients from food, rapid weight loss, significant emaciation, and complete failure to alleviate the condition with medication, it may be a sign of canceration.
5. Black stool
Certain foods, medications, or constipation can all cause changes in stool color, and these changes are often traceable. If there is an unexplained black stool, it indicates that gastric ulcer may be undergoing cancerous changes, and further examination at a hospital is necessary for confirmation.
The most direct method to detect gastric cancer: gastroscopy
Early gastric cancer often presents no symptoms, making it difficult to detect solely based on feelings. Gastroscopy is currently recognized as the "gold standard".
Experts recommend that individuals aged 45 and above, who possess certain high-risk factors and are able to cooperate with endoscopy, should undergo gastroscopy; it is also recommended that people undergo their first colonoscopy after the age of 40, and try not to wait until they are over 50.
High-risk factors primarily encompass five major categories:
Living in an area with a high incidence of stomach cancer;
Parents, children, and siblings have a history of stomach cancer;
Have a history of infection with Helicobacter pylori;
Having habits such as smoking, heavy drinking, and liking high-salt and pickled foods;
He has some basic lesions such as chronic atrophic gastritis, gastric ulcer, and gastric polyp.
How to prevent stomach cancer in daily life
1. Develop good habits
Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, maintain a low-salt diet, and limit consumption of pickled, smoked, and grilled foods. Quit smoking, limit alcohol intake, exercise regularly, and control body weight.
2. Control Helicobacter pylori
A 2024 study published in The Lancet revealed that Helicobacter pylori infection is the primary cause of gastric cancer. Individuals with high-risk factors such as atrophic gastritis, intestinal metaplasia, and a family history of gastric cancer are advised to undergo examination and eradication.
3. Regular physical examinations to treat precancerous diseases
If you find precancerous lesions such as atrophic gastritis, gastric polyps, and gastric ulcers, it is important to seek timely and standardized treatment and undergo regular follow-up examinations. Don't let minor issues turn into major problems.
The stomach won't suddenly "go on strike". Before it collapses, it has given you many chances. Don't let "being busy" and "holding back" become excuses for missing your body's warning signals. If you feel uncomfortable, get checked early; if everything is fine, get checked regularly. Take responsibility for yourself, starting with paying attention to your stomach.
Expert Introduction
Zhao Xinkai, Chief Physician
Vice President
Director of the Endoscopy Integrated Diagnosis and Treatment Center
Medical expertise
Proficient in various complex and difficult techniques of digestive endoscopy, such as ERCP and related techniques, ESD and related techniques, ultrasonic endoscopy techniques, PEG techniques, capsule endoscopy techniques, small intestinal endoscopy techniques, and other endoscopic diagnostic and therapeutic techniques.
Source: China News Weekly, Science Popularization China