Current Treatments for Gastric Cancer
The treatment of gastric cancer will depend on the stage that it is in. There are five different stages of cancer. Cancer and tumors can be either removed by surgery, or a patient can choose to have radiation and chemotherapy instead of the surgery, or in conjunction with the surgery.
Stage 0
In this stage the cancer is very small and it is only found in the stomach wall on the inner most layer. This is the best time for treatment for cancer. The survival rate is also much higher.
Stage I
In this stage the cancer or tumor is localized to only the one organ that it initially started in, and has not spread anywhere else in the body.
Stage II
In this stage the tumor has gotten larger than the initial tumor. It has not spread to any other organ or tissue of the body, but it may have spread to the lymph nodes that are closest to the tumor area.
Stage III
In this stage the tumor is much larger than in stage II and it has begun to spread farther into some of the surrounding tissue of the lymph nodes.
Stage IV
This is the last stage of cancer where the tumor has spread to other organs in the body. It is called metastatic cancer.
Treatments for Stage 0
The treatments for stage 0 gastric cancer will most likely be surgery to remove part of the stomach area called a subtotal gastrectomy. In some cases the patient will have their whole stomach removed, which is called a total gastrectomy, as well as some of the tissue that surrounds the cancer area. A lymph node dissection may also be needed.
Treatments for Stage I
The treatments for stage one will depend on if the patient is already past the 0 stage and has not already previously had surgery. If the patient has been diagnosed with stage 1 gastric cancer it will require surgery to remove part of the stomach and lymph nodes. The removal of lymph nodes is called a lymphadenectomy, or the whole stomach may need to be removed.
Treatments for Stage II
If a patient has been diagnosed with stage II gastric cancer, they will have either part or all of their stomach removed through surgery, as well as the lymph nodes. After the surgery the patient will start adjuvant radiation treatments, or chemotheraphy, or both.
Treatments for Stage III
If a patient has been diagnosed with stage III gastric cancer the whole stomach, tissue, and lymph nodes will be removed through surgery. Radiation and chemotherapy combined, or just radiation, or just chemotherapy can be chosen as a treatment method.
Treatment for Stage IV
If a patient is diagnosed with stage IV gastric cancer, the tumors, lymph nodes, and tissue will be removed through surgery to relieve painful symptoms, prevent bleeding, or remove a tumor that is blocking the stomach, which may be causing vomiting. A patient can opt to have radiation and chemotherapy after a surgery, or in place of surgery.
Patients who have had surgery to remove part or all of their stomach will need to take injections of the Vitamin B12 since food will no longer be able to be absorbed through the stomach. They will also be put on a stringent diet where they will only be able to eat less frequent and smaller meals.