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Gastric cancer is the tenth leading cause of cancer death in Taiwan. There are often no obvious symptoms in the early stages. Helicobacter pylori infection is an important risk factor.
2026/09/15 14:28
Even without stomach pain, gastric cancer may be hidden. A 60-year-old woman saw an ulcer during a gastroscopy, and a biopsy confirmed the cancer. The picture is a situational photo, and the person in the picture has nothing to do with this article. (Picture taken from shutterstock)
[Reporter Luo Bi/Taipei Report] 60-year-old Mrs. Huang usually has no obvious stomach discomfort and only drinks alcohol occasionally. During a health checkup a few days ago, a gastroscopy revealed gastric ulcers and gastritis, and Helicobacter pylori infection. The doctor further observed that the appearance of the gastric ulcer was abnormal, and he took samples and sections on the spot. Unexpectedly, the pathology results confirmed that it was poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma, and gastric cancer was found.
Liang Chengchao, deputy director of Beitou Health Management Hospital, said that gastric ulcers are not equal to gastric cancer. There are many causes, and Helicobacter pylori infection is one of the important factors. However, some gastric cancers may also appear ulcer-like or inflamed in the early stages. Therefore, when suspicious lesions are found during gastroscopy, doctors will judge whether to take sections based on the appearance and clinical conditions of the lesions, and then confirm whether the cells are cancerous through pathological examination.
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Liang Chengchao pointed out that gastric cancer often lacks typical symptoms in the early stages. Some patients may only have symptoms such as upper abdominal discomfort, bloating, indigestion, and loss of appetite that are easily ignored, or even no discomfort at all. Therefore, you cannot judge whether the stomach is healthy based on "stomach pain" alone.
Helicobacter pylori infection is also an important risk factor for gastric cancer. Long-term infection may cause chronic gastritis, which is further associated with gastric mucosal atrophy, intestinal metaplasia, and increased risk of gastric cancer. Liang Chengchao said that up to 85% to 90% of gastric cancer patients have been infected with Helicobacter pylori; if the infection is confirmed and the medication is taken completely according to the doctor's instructions, the overall success rate of sterilization in the first line of treatment can reach more than 90% to 95%.
Liang Chengchao said that gastroscopy is not only to check whether there are gastric ulcers, but more importantly, it can directly observe the gastric mucosa. Once abnormal lesions are found, samples can be taken and sliced. According to the latest statistics on the top ten causes of cancer death from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, gastric cancer ranks 8th; if it can be detected early and surgically removed at stage 0 or 1, the 5-year survival rate can reach more than 90%.
He reminded that the absence of symptoms does not necessarily mean that there is no problem with the stomach. Especially those with Helicobacter pylori infection, family history of gastric cancer, gastric lesions in the past, or other risk factors, they can discuss the appropriate gastroscopy and follow-up methods with their doctors; if a gastroscopy detects suspicious ulcers, they should also undergo biopsies as appropriate to clarify whether there are malignant lesions as early as possible.

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