DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed gastric adenocarcinoma

• Patients treated with curative intent according to one of the following criteria:

  • Plan to undergo total or partial gastrectomy with curative intent
  • Plan to receive neoadjuvant chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy followed by total or partial gastrectomy with curative intent
  • Prior total or partial gastrectomy with curative intent and currently receiving adjuvant chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy
  • Prior endoscopic mucosal resection or laparoscopic wedge resection of early gastric cancer OR

• Patients with initial diagnosis of gastric cancer or recurrent disease with plans to receive one of the following therapies with palliative intent:

  • Total or partial gastrectomy or bypass procedure
  • Endoscopic procedure (e.g., stent insertion)
  • Chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy
  • Supportive measures only
• No concurrent enrollment on other quality of life study that would interfere with this study
• Not previously enrolled on this study

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• Any age

Performance status:

• Any performance status

Life expectancy:

• At least 2 months for patients treated with curative intent
• At least 4 weeks for patients treated with palliative intent

Hematopoietic:

• Not specified

Hepatic:

• Not specified

Renal:

• Not specified

Other:

• No other concurrent malignancies except basal cell carcinoma of the skin
• No mental impairment that would preclude completion of questionnaire
• No psychological, familial, sociological, or geographical condition that would preclude study compliance

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• Not specified

Chemotherapy:

• See Disease Characteristics

Endocrine therapy:

• Not specified

Radiotherapy:

• See Disease Characteristics

Surgery:

• See Disease Characteristics