The first step to preventing stomach cancer is to eliminate the risk factors. If there are hereditary and genetic factors involved, getting screening tests done to detect cancer as early as possible is most helpful for timely diagnosis and effective treatment. Since the cause of stomach cancer is not fully ascertained, the risk factors need to be considered while deciding to undergo screening tests for stomach cancer.

• Quit smoking : Smoking is a major risk factor of stomach cancer and increases its risk by up to two times.
• Diet : Eating fresh fruits and vegetables is beneficial. Vitamins, essential minerals, and dietary fiber lower the risk of stomach cancer considerably. A Mediterranean diet is low on sugar, red meat, processed food, and saturated fats and high on fresh produce, nuts, and other healthy foods. Adopting this diet may be beneficial to people with a high risk of contracting stomach cancer. Severely limiting the intake of salty, spicy, and smoked food is important, and refrigerated food and food with preservatives should be avoided. Some studies have shown that green onions, mushrooms, garlic, and soya bean are linked to lowering the risk of stomach cancer.
• Exercise regularly : Having a regular exercise program helps in reducing the risk of stomach cancer. A half-an-hour to 45-minutes program of light-to-medium exercise that involves the whole body will help.
• Treat stomach infections : Stomach infections should be treated as quickly as possible. H. pylori infections are a big risk factor for stomach cancer, and so are ulcers and other disorders of the stomach lining. Antibiotics can kill bacteria, and other drugs can help in healing the lining of the stomach.
• Avoid NSAIDs : Using NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) and aspirin should be avoided. If these drugs are being taken regularly for heart problems or arthritis, the physician should be consulted.

Despite these measures and the resultant reduced risk, it is advisable to undergo screening tests for stomach cancer periodically. There are no specific tests that are used to detect stomach cancer, and common screening for all types of cancer is done. Some of the tests are as follows:

• Upper endoscopy : This procedure is also used to diagnose stomach cancer. It uses an endoscope to view the esophagus, stomach, and small intestine of abnormal growth. An endoscope may be fitted with an instrument to cut and remove suspected tumors and cancers for biopsies.
• Barium-meal photofluorography : After the patient drinks a liquid that contains barium (an X-ray opaque substance), a series of X-ray images are taken to show the flow of the barium in the esophagus, stomach, and the small intestine. A video is made of the series of X-ray images so that a doctor can view the movement of the organs while the patient has very little exposure to radiation.

Being diagnosed with cancer can be very frightening. In most cases, the news is unexpected and can evoke a very emotional response. It is best to learn and understand everything about the disease – its causes, risk factors, diagnostic methods, treatments options, and prognosis. This helps in quelling the initial shock and staying calm. One can connect with other people who are suffering from stomach cancer and survivors of stomach cancer. Communicating with them helps keep a positive outlook and motivate each other through the journey of battling the disease.

Connecting with other cancer survivors can be done by asking the doctor about support groups in the area or connecting with cancer survivors online on message boards, like those run by the American Cancer Society.

Staying active is most important. Being diagnosed with cancer doesn’t mean one has to stop doing the things they enjoy or normally do. For the most part, if one feels well enough to do something, they should go ahead and do it.