Stomach cancer occurs when abnormal cells in the stomach wall grow in an uncontrolled way.
The stomach is located in the upper abdomen (belly). It is part of the upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract, which forms part of the body’s digestive system. The stomach is where food and liquid go after being swallowed.
The stomach helps digest food by:
- releasing enzymes and acid, which kills any bacteria in food and drink
- churning food into a semifluid mixture (called chyme) using muscle contractions.