Understanding Stomach Cancer - Treatment

How Do I Know If I Have Stomach Cancer?

Your doctors may identify signs of stomach cancer, such as enlarged lymph nodes or liver, and increased fluid in the abdomen (ascites), during a physical exam. But these generally indicate advanced cancer.

If you complain of vague symptoms such as indigestion, weight loss, nausea, and loss of appetite, your doctor may order screening tests. These include:

Upper GI series.These are X-rays of the esophagus (food tube) and stomach, which is called the upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract. You drink a barium solution, which outlines the stomach on the X-ray, helping the doctor find tumors or other abnormalities.

Endoscopy and biopsy. This test examines the esophagus and stomach using a thin, lighted tube called an endoscope, which is passed through the mouth to the stomach. Through the endoscope, the doctor can look directly at the inside of your stomach. If an abnormal area is found, the doctor will remove some tissue to be examined under a microscope (called a biopsy). A biopsy is the only sure way to diagnose cancer. Endoscopy and biopsy are the best methods of identifying stomach cancer.

What Are the Treatments for Stomach Cancer?

Treatments for stomach cancer may include one or more of the following:

• Surgery, called gastrectomy, to remove all or part of the stomach, as well as some of the tissue surrounding the stomach. Lymph nodes near the stomach are also removed and biopsied to check for cancer cells. Stomach lymphomas, more often than adenocarcinomas, are treated by gastrectomy. Only about one-third of stomach cancer cases can be treated and cured surgically.
• Chemotherapy, which is the use of anticancer medications
• Radiation therapy, which is the use of ionizing X-rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors
• Biological therapy, which is the use of natural substances to boost the body's immune system and fight cancer

If treated at an early stage before it spreads, stomach cancer is curable. A patient whose tumor is removed completely has a good chance of surviving at least five years. Unfortunately, by the time most cases of stomach cancer are diagnosed, the cancer has spread to local lymph nodes or other organs, making it difficult to treat. Fewer than one in five patients diagnosed with stomach cancer that has spread to other organs or lymph nodes survives five years.