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Stomach Cancer Treatment
The specific treatment type recommended by doctors depends on this staging of the cancer as well as other specifics of the tumor, such as its specific location in the stomach.
SurgeryAlmost all patients are recommended surgery as part of their stomach cancer treatment. The specific procedure depends on the extent and location of the tumor. Most commonly, a total gastrectomy (removal of the entire stomach) is performed for most types of stomach cancer. An esophagogastrectomy, removal of the stomach along with part of the esophagus, may be required for tumors high in the stomach around the junction of the esophagus and stomach. For tumors that are lower down, near the junction of the tumor with the small intestine, a subtotal gastrectomy, removal of just the distal part of the stomach, may be performed.In addition to removal of the stomach and tumor with margins around it, many surgeons will recommend lymph node dissections in various areas surrounding the stomach. The presence of tumor spread to the lymph nodes is known to be a negative prognostic indicator, associated with poorer outcomes. Therefore, by surgically removing these local lymph nodes these areas of spread can be identified and possibly removed. The specific extent and type of lymph node removal is controversial.
ChemotherapyBecause these tumors can be hard to control and are often spread from the initial site at the time of diagnosis, stomach cancer treatment often involves adjuvant therapies that target cancer cells throughout the body. Chemotherapy of various types may be used in some patients to try to slow the growth or destroy cancer cells in the body. The need for chemotherapy and the specific type used depends on various factors including the stage of the cancer. |
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Stomach cancer treatment is largely dependent on the stage of the cancer at the time of diagnosis. The stage takes into account the local invasion of the primary tumor as well as the presence of tumor in distant locations such as local lymph nodes or distant organs. The more invasive and widespread the cancer, the higher the stage. In general, the prognosis is better for earlier stages and gets progressively worse with increasing stage.