Stomach cancer has non-specific symptoms in its early stages, a doctor said Monday.

“Because of its poor prognosis, by the time symptoms occur, the cancer has metastasized to other parts of the body,” said Dr. Taing Tek Hong, as a guest on “Hello VOA.”

Stomach cancer can cause the following signs and symptoms: heartburn or indigestion in the early stage, and abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea or constipation, weigh loss and blood in the stool in the later stages, Taing Tek Hong said.

“Surgery is the most common treatment for stomach cancer,” he said. “The surgeon removes part of the stomach, as well as some of the tissue around the stomach.”

“Endoscopic mucosal resection is a treatment for early gastric cancer that has been pioneered in Japan,” the doctor said. “The procedure is to remove the tumor from the wall of the stomach using an endoscope.”