Gastric cancer can be defined as the cancerous growth of cells at the stomach lining. It is also known as stomach cancer, and is extremely difficult to diagnose. The reason being, that most people typically do not tend to display any signs in the earlier stages. Gastric cancer is caused by the cancerous and out of control growth of cells which as a result forms a tumor. This is a slow and gradual process which develops over many years. Risk factors of gastric cancer are stomach polyps, tumors in parts of digestive tract, H. pylori bacterial infections and lymphoma (a unit of blood cancer). Gastric cancer is quite common among people over the age of 50, men, individuals with a family history of the disease, and usually people who belong to the Belarusian, South American, or Asian descent. You are generally more likely to develop gastric cancer if you don’t exercise or store food properly, have a history of alcohol abuse, have too much meat, or eat a lot of processed or salty food. Diagnosis is done through a physical exam and then goes on through a biopsy, an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, and imaging tests such as X-rays and CT scans. There is a wide range of treatments available for gastric cancer. This involves radiation therapy, chemotherapy, surgery, and immunotherapy.