Stomach cancer remains difficult to detect early because its first symptoms are often vague. Indigestion, bloating, mild nausea, loss of appetite, heartburn and stomach discomfort can all be mistaken for common digestive issues. When gastric cancer is found later, treatment options may be more limited, which increases the need for better ways to identify risk and prompt further investigation sooner.
Gastric cancer begins when abnormal cells grow in the stomach lining. Most cases start in the inner lining and are known as adenocarcinomas. Early disease can be hard to spot, but symptoms that persist, worsen or appear together may require medical review. More concerning signs can include unexplained weight loss, vomiting, blood in the stool, stomach pain, jaundice or difficulty swallowing.
Risk is higher in certain groups. Stomach cancer is more common in older adults, with an average age at diagnosis of 68, and it affects men more often than women. A long-term H. pylori infection is one of the key risk factors because it can damage the stomach lining over time. Smoking, obesity, family history, certain stomach conditions, and diets high in smoked or salted foods and low in fruit and vegetables can also increase risk. In the United States, rates are higher among Black, Latino, Asian or Pacific Islander, and American Indian or Alaska Native populations.
The current diagnostic pathway leaves a gap. Routine screening is not standard for average-risk adults in the United States. As a result, many cases are investigated only after symptoms develop or a clinician sees a reason to test. Doctors may use laboratory tests, imaging, upper endoscopy and biopsy, but these are usually part of a follow-up process once concern already exists.
Cizzle Bio is focused on that gap. Its DEX-G2 blood test is designed to help detect stomach cancer earlier through a minimally invasive biomarker approach. The company states that published validation showed DEX-G2 achieved 95% sensitivity for early-stage gastric cancer detection.
Cizzle Biotechnology Holdings plc (LON:CIZ) is a pioneering cancer diagnostics company, originally a spin-out from the University of York, and now listed on the London Stock Exchange.
