Beyond ‘Gastric’: Malaysians Urged To Seek Help For Persistent Stomach Symptoms

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 30 (Bernama) -- Medical specialists have warned Malaysians against dismissing persistent upper abdominal discomfort as ‘gastric’, saying  misuse of the term could delay the diagnosis of serious conditions, including stomach cancer.

Sunway Medical Centre, Sunway City Consultant General, Upper Gastrointestinal and Bariatric Surgeon, Dr Sou Jing Kim said the commonly used phrase ‘gastric pain’ is medically inaccurate and often leads to dangerous assumptions.

“There is no such thing as gastric pain. Gastritis refers to inflammation seen under a microscope and cannot be diagnosed based on symptoms alone,” he said in a statement.

Dr Sou explained that doctors differentiate between functional dyspepsia, which involves indigestion symptoms without structural disease, and organic causes such as peptic ulcers or early gastric cancer.

He said functional dyspepsia typically presents as bloating, early satiety, belching or nausea, while red-flag symptoms including unexplained weight loss, poor appetite, persistent upper abdominal pain, vomiting or anaemia require urgent medical evaluation. Dyspepsia is reported in up to 15 per cent of rural populations and 25 per cent of urban populations.

 Dr Sou said lifestyle factors play a significant role in worsening stomach discomfort and increasing cancer risk, particularly diets high in preserved and pickled foods, salted fish, charred or barbecued meats, processed foods, as well as smoking and alcohol consumption.

 He added that the main risk factors for stomach problems include overall diet, smoking, alcohol consumption, and the presence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), a key but often overlooked contributor recognised as a Class I carcinogen.

“H. pylori by itself doesn’t directly cause cancer. But chronic infection triggers inflammation, which can slowly damage the stomach lining, leading to atrophic gastritis, precancerous changes, and eventually cancer.

“Self-medicating with antacids may mask symptoms but will not address the root cause. If pain persists, or if there is weight loss, anaemia or vomiting, please seek medical attention,” he said.

Dr Sou said the infection can be diagnosed via endoscopy with biopsy or through non-invasive tests such as a urea breath test or stool antigen test and is treatable with a two-week course of antibiotics and acid suppression, but patients should undergo endoscopy if symptoms do not improve after two weeks or if alarming warning signs appear.

Addressing concerns about endoscopy, Dr Sou said modern procedures are quick, routinely performed under sedation and generally well tolerated.

“Most patients are surprised at how comfortable it is. They often tell me afterwards that they did not even feel it,” he said, adding that endoscopy also allows for biopsy and direct treatment of certain ulcers, with advanced imaging technologies gradually being introduced in Malaysia

Echoing this sentiment, Consultant Clinical Oncologist at the same medical centre, Dr Vance Koi Yung Chean said countries such as Japan and South Korea have demonstrated the effectiveness of population-wide endoscopy programmes in detecting gastric cancer early.

Although gastric cancer is not among Malaysia’s top 10 cancers, he noted that it is often detected at an advanced stage due to vague and non-specific symptoms.

“In Malaysia, screening focuses on high-risk groups, including those with a strong family history, long-standing H. pylori infection or chronic gastric issues. Gastric cancer is sometimes called a silent killer because symptoms are non-specific, and by the time it is properly investigated, the disease is often advanced,” he said.

On treatment, Dr Koi said surgery remains the mainstay for localised disease, with minimally invasive techniques such as laparoscopic or robotic surgery improving recovery in selected patients.

“My role is to support surgical treatment with systemic therapy. That includes chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy, either before or after surgery, to improve long-term outcomes and achieve patient satisfaction,” he said, adding that molecular profiling is paving the way for more personalised cancer care.

Therefore, he said early diagnosis significantly improves survival and quality of life, noting that timely detection and appropriate treatment allow patients to live longer, better lives, while advances in care mean families receive far greater support than in the past.

-- BERNAMA

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