The number of gastric cancer patients in Zadar County in the five-year period 2014-2018 Gastric cancer is an important medical problem at the global level, and in the Republic of Croatia, there is also a tendency to increase the number of patients with this disease, especially in the male population. An important feature of gastric cancer is its late detection as it is predominantly an asymptomatic disease in early stages. Late diagnosis is one of the primary reasons for the high mortality rate of gastric cancer patients. RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: to determine the prevalence of gastric cancer from 2014 to 2018 in Zadar County, given the gender, age, life habits and symptoms of the disease and the role of the nurse / technician in health care for patients with gastric cancer. RESPONDENTS AND METHODS: A study of the prevalence of gastric cancer has been conducted at the Zadar General Hospital based on data from Hospital Information System. The research sample consisted of 122 patients from 2014 until 2018, of which 89 were men and 33 women. RESULTS: The results of the study indicate the prevalence of cancer among the male population older than 65 years, and especially among the population older than 70 years, although the proportion of affected men and women decreased with age. Smoking and alcohol consumption are not widespread risk factors in the selected study sample. The three key and most common symptoms of gastric cancer are epigastric pain, weight loss, nausea and bloating. CONCLUSION: It is extremely important to invest in the prevention and early detection of the gastric cancer since the symptoms appear in the later stages. The role of the nurse/technician is important in educating the public about disease prevention. Individual and holistic approach of the nurse to patients with gastric cancer is of equal importance.