What is Stomach Cancer?

Diagnosis

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Tests and procedures used to diagnose stomach cancer include:

A tiny camera to see inside your stomach (endoscopy): A thin tube containing a tiny camera is passed down your throat and into your stomach. Your doctor can use it to look for signs of cancer.

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Removing a sample of tissue for testing (biopsy): If any suspicious areas are found during the endoscopy, special tools can be used to remove a sample of tissue for testing. The sample is sent to a lab for analysis.

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Imaging tests: Imaging tests used to look for stomach cancer include CT scans and a special type of X-ray exam called a barium swallow.

 

Treatment for Stomach Cancer

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The types of systemic therapies used for stomach cancer include:

• Surgery

• Chemotherapy

• Radiation therapy

• Targeted therapy

• Immunotherapy

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Surgery

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The goal of surgery is to remove all of the cancer and some of the healthy tissue around it.

Operations used for stomach cancer include:

• Removing early-stage tumors from the stomach lining. 

• Removing part of the stomach (subtotal gastrectomy).

• Removing the entire stomach (total gastrectomy). 

• Removing lymph nodes to look for cancer. 

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Chemotherapy:

Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to destroy cancerous cells, usually by keeping the cancer cells from growing, dividing and making more cells.

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These drugs are known as cytotoxic medicines. It is a primary treatment for stomach cancer that has spread to distant sites in the body.Chemotherapy may be used alone or with targeted drug therapy in people with advanced stomach cancer.

 

Radiation therapy: 

Radiation therapy uses high-powered beams of energy, such as X-rays and protons, to kill cancer cells. For stomach cancer, radiation therapy can be used before surgery to shrink the cancer so that it's more easily removed. Radiation therapy can also be used after surgery to kill any cancer cells that might remain. Radiation therapy is often combined with chemotherapy.

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For advanced stomach cancer that can't be removed with surgery, radiation therapy may be used to relieve side effects, such as bleeding or pain, caused by a growing cancer.

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Targeted drug therapy: 

Targeted drug treatments focus on specific weaknesses present within cancer cells. By blocking these weaknesses, targeted drug treatments can cause cancer cells to die. For stomach cancer, targeted drugs are usually combined with chemotherapy for advanced cancers or cancer that comes back after treatment.

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Immunotherapy:

Immunotherapy is a drug treatment that helps your immune system to fight cancer. For stomach cancer, immunotherapy might be used when the cancer is advanced, if it comes back or if it spreads to other parts of the body.

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Supportive (palliative) care:

Palliative care is specialized medical care that focuses on providing relief from pain and other symptoms of a serious illness. Palliative care specialists work with you, your family and your other doctors to provide an extra layer of support that complements your ongoing care. Palliative care can be used while undergoing aggressive treatments, such as surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy.

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When palliative care is used along with all of the other appropriate treatments, people with cancer may feel better and live longer.

 

Survival

Survival depends on many different factors. No one can tell exactly how long you will live. It depends on your: type and stage of cancer level of fitness and, previous treatment.