Health encyclopaedia

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Treatment of Cancer of the stomach

Surgery is generally needed to treat stomach cancer. Before deciding to operate, the doctor may perform a laparoscopy. This involves looking into your abdomen with a tube with a light on the end. The doctor will have to decide what type of operation you need and talk to you about how long it will take you to recover. If treatment to remove the cancer is not possible, because of its size or your general state of health, treatment will concentrate on relieving symptoms.

If the tumour is not too far advanced it will be surgically removed. This is called a partial gastrectomy, as part of the stomach has to be removed as well.

If the tumour is blocking part of your stomach or gullet, bypass surgery may be an option. Other organs, tissue and lymph nodes close to the stomach may be removed as well if the cancer has spread, or to stop it coming back.

In some cases, where the cancer is very big or right in the middle of your stomach, it may be necessary to remove all of the stomach and all of the cancer (total gastrectomy). If this is the case, the surgeon will reconnect the gullet (the tube the food comes down) to the small intestine (where the food goes after it has left the stomach). You will still be able to eat and drink but you will have to make some changes to your diet and eating habits.

Chemotherapy drugs and laser therapy may also be given to reduce the size of the cancer as well as to reduce pain and prolong life expectancy. Chemotherapy may be given before, after or instead of surgery.

 Radiotherapy is not commonly used to treat stomach cancer.

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