For many people in India, feeling bloated after a meal or experiencing mild indigestion is such a routine part of life that it barely raises concern. Most reach for an antacid without a second thought. But cancer specialists warn that this casual attitude toward stomach discomfort might be allowing a far more serious illness to go unnoticed. In a small but meaningful number of cases, these ordinary symptoms can be the first signs of stomach cancer.
Stomach cancer continues to be a major health issue in the country. Data from the ICMR–National Cancer Registry Programme in 2022 shows that it is still one of the most common cancers in India—among the top five cancers in men and top ten in women. The problem is especially pronounced in regions like the northeast, Tamil Nadu and the Kashmir valley. While it has long been associated with older adults, doctors are now seeing more patients in their late thirties and early forties, which makes the trend even more concerning.
A cancer physician from M|O|C Borivali explains that stomach cancer is often missed early because its symptoms look exactly like common gastric troubles. He points out that most people delay seeking medical help because they assume it’s just acidity or gas. By the time they finally undergo proper evaluation, the disease is usually already advanced.
The early signs are subtle: frequent bloating, feeling full more quickly than usual, repeated indigestion, nausea, unexplained weight loss or a lingering dull discomfort in the upper abdomen. None of these feel urgent, and because of that, many people ignore them for months or even years. This tendency to brush off mild digestive discomfort allows early cancer to slip past unnoticed.
India’s rise in stomach cancer cases isn’t without reason. Several factors come together to create this growing concern. Diet plays a significant role, especially the high intake of salted, smoked, fermented and pickled foods found in many regional cuisines. Processed foods, which have become more common in modern diets, add to the problem. Tobacco use further increases the risk.
But one factor stands out more than others: Helicobacter pylori, a bacterial infection known as H. pylori. Studies published in the Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention in 2021 and in Lancet Oncology in 2020 reveal that this infection is responsible for more than 60 percent of stomach cancer cases in India. Despite this alarming link, routine screening for H. pylori is still uncommon in the country.
What emerges is a picture of a disease that hides behind everyday discomfort and a population that often ignores the warnings. As India continues to face rising gastric cancer numbers, the conversation around digestive health needs to shift. Listening to the body, paying attention to persistent symptoms and seeking timely medical advice could make all the difference.
