Surgical oncology

What is gastric cancer?

Gastric cancer is a condition in which malignant (cancerous) cells grow in the stomach lining. Stomach cancer is another name for gastric cancer. The stomach is a muscular pouch that lies immediately below your ribs in the upper part of your abdomen. Your stomach takes in and holds the food you eat before breaking it down and digesting it. Any area of the stomach can be affected. Most stomach cancers develop in the stomach's central portion (stomach body).

Gastric cancer diagnosis

Diagnosis includes:

  • Upper endoscopy: A thin tube with a tiny camera is inserted into your stomach and transmitted down your throat.
  • Biopsy: Special tools can retrieve a tissue sample for testing if any worrisome spots are discovered during the upper endoscopy. The sample is sent to a laboratory for examination.
  • Imaging tests: CT scans and a particular X-ray exam called a barium swallow are two imaging tests used to look for stomach cancer.

Treatment for gastric cancer

Treatment choices for stomach cancer are determined by the location, stage, and aggressiveness of the tumour. Treatment can include:

  • Surgery:
    • Removing early stage-tumours from stomach lining: By putting special equipment through an endoscope, very tiny tumours, limited to the interior lining of the stomach, can be removed.
    • Subtotal gastrectomy: During subtotal gastrectomy, the surgeon eliminates the cancerous portion of the stomach and some healthy tissue around it.
    • Total gastrectomy: The whole stomach and some surrounding tissues are removed during a total gastrectomy.
    • Lymph node removal: To test for malignancy, the surgeon may remove lymph nodes from your abdomen.
    • Surgery to relieve signs and symptoms: In persons with advanced stomach cancer, removing a portion of the stomach may ease the signs and symptoms of growing cancer.
  • Chemotherapy: The decision on chemotherapy for gastric cancer is based on the staging. Early-stage gastric cancers will require chemotherapy and surgery afterwards. There are some gastric cancers that might benefit from chemotherapy before surgery.
  • Radiation therapy: To kill cancer cells, radiation therapy uses high-powered energy beams such as X-rays and protons.
  • Targeted drug therapy: Targeted medication treatments concentrate on specific flaws found in cancer cells.
  • Immunotherapy: Immunotherapy boosts your immune system's ability to fight cancer.
  • Palliative care: Palliative care is a medical treatment that focuses on relieving pain and other symptoms associated with a severe illness.


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FAQ

1When is surgery indicated?
Patients with stomach cancer will be treated by a multidisciplinary team consisting of surgeons and oncologists. Most gastric cancers will require surgery, but some patients might benefit from preoperative chemotherapy or radiation.
2How long does recovery take?
Recovery back to normal activity is usually six weeks. Due to adjuvant chemotherapy, the patients might be incapacitated for longer.
3How long does the surgery take?
Gastric surgery for stomach cancer is a major surgery and typically takes between 3 to 4 hours. Hospital stay is usually in ICU for 3 to 4 days and 7 to 10 days in total.