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Home > Medical Reference > Encyclopedia (English)

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Get answers to your Stomach Cancer questions.

Dr. Hanna’s Bio | Q&A Archive

Note: This is for informational purposes only. Doctors cannot provide a diagnosis or individual treatment advice via e-mail. Please consult your physician about your specific health care concerns.

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Gastric cancer - Treatment

Alternative Names

Cancer - stomach; Stomach cancer; Gastric carcinoma; Adenocarcinoma of the stomach

Treatment:

Surgical removal of the stomach (gastrectomy) is the only curative treatment. Radiation therapy and chemotherapy may be beneficial. A recent study showed that for many patients, chemotherapy and radiation therapy given after surgery improve the chance of a cure.

For patients in whom surgery is not an option, chemotherapy or radiation can improve symptoms but may not cure the cancer. For some patients, a surgical bypass procedure may provide relief of symptoms.

Support Groups:

The stress of illness may often be eased by joining a support group with members who share common experiences and problems. See cancer - support group and gastrointestinal disorders - support group.

Expectations (prognosis):

The outlook varies widely. Tumors in the lower stomach are more often cured than those in the higher area -- gastric cardia or gastroesophageal junction. The depth to which the tumor invades the stomach wall and whether lymph nodes are involved influence the chances of cure.

In circumstances in which the tumor has spread outside of the stomach, cure is not possible and treatment is directed toward improvement of symptoms.

Complications:

  • Fluid build up in the belly area (ascites)
  • Spread of cancer to other organs or tissues
  • Weight loss

Calling your health care provider:

Call your health care provider if symptoms of gastric cancer develop.

  • Reviewed last on: 9/4/2008
  • Sean O. Stitham, MD, private practice in Internal Medicine, Seattle, Washington; and James R. Mason, MD, Oncologist, Director, Blood and Marrow Transplantation Program and Stem Cell Processing Lab, Scripps Clinic, Torrey Pines, California. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Gunderson LL, Donohue JH, Alberts SR. Cancer of the Stomach. In: Abeloff MD, Armitage JO, Niederhuber JE, Kastan MB, McKena WG, eds. Clinical Oncology. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone; 2004:chap 79.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997- A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
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