Many stomach cancer patients are diagnosed too late for treatment, with as many as 15% diagnosed in Accident and Emergency.
According to experts stomach and oesophageal cancers are "particularly aggressive" and prognosis is extremely poor if caught at a late stage.
One of the main reasons for this delay is lack of awareness around symptoms - many of which are often ignored.
Consultant gastroenterologist Stuart Riley, member of the British Society of Gastroenterology, said: "Stomach and oesophageal cancer typically afflicts the elderly, and men are twice as likely to be affected compared to women."
He adds: "The public should be made aware of the alarm symptoms which include problems with swallowing, persistent vomiting and weight loss. National guidelines recommend that GPs make an urgent referral for an endoscopy."
Here are some of the key stomach cancer symptoms to look out for, courtesy of Cancer Research UK.