Stomach Cancer Treatment

Stomach is a vital organ of the digestive system which is located in the abdomen just below the ribs. It plays a major role in breaking down of the foods that we eat. Stomach cancer is also known as gastric cancer. Stomach cancer is categorized into various types depending upon the cells that are responsible for the cancer. Among them, adenocarcinoma is the most common and it affects the glandular cells that forms the inner lining of the stomach. Other rare forms of stomach cancer are: lymphoma and leiomyosarcoma.

Causes and Symptoms

Till date, it is not clearly known the exact cause behind stomach cancer. One of the possible causes is mutation of the DNA of the affected cells. As a result, the cells divide and grow at an abnormal rate and continue to live longer than the normal cells. These accumulated cells leads to formation of malignant tumor. People who consume a lot of smoked, salted and pickled foods are at a higher risk of getting gastric cancer. Regular exposure to asbestos fibers, coal mines, nickel refining may also cause stomach cancer. Symptoms are very similar to that of peptic ulcer. It includes indigestion, abdominal pain, heartburn, sense of fullness after eating, loss of appetite, etc. Vomiting blood and rectal bleeding may also occur which in turn may cause anemia. When the cancerous cells spread to other surrounding organs, then enlarged liver, jaundice, accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity may occur.

Treatment

Treatment and prognosis goes hand in hand. Accurate diagnosis is important to ascertain the cancer's stage and then the treatment is carried out accordingly. Some common diagnostic procedure are endoscopy, a special kind of x-rays and biopsy where sample of cancer cells are thoroughly examined under microscope. The three most common options of treatment for stomach cancer are as follows:

Surgery: The surgical procedure used for partial or complete removal of the stomach and tissues from its surrounding areas is known as gastrectomy. The decision of whether a patient should undergo surgery or not depends on the size and location of he tumor. If detected at an early stage, only the cancerous cells and some of the lymph nodes around it are removed surgically. For a more serious case, part of the stomach has to be removed in order to provide relief from the signs and symptoms of stomach cancer. Sometimes, the entire stomach is removed surgically along with parts of other organs like small intestine and esophagus that are quite close to the tumor. In such cases, the esophagus is joined with the small intestines so that the foods goes directly into the small intestine.

Radiation Therapy: This process involves use of high powered beams of radiation which are directed towards the cancerous cells in order to destroy them. For this treatment, the patient need to lie down on a table and radiation from a huge machine is released into the body. Sometimes, it is conducted after gastrectomy to eliminate any of the cancer cells that are left behind after the surgery.

Chemotherapy: This is another popular method of treatment used for the treatment of stomach cancer. It involves use of medicines that contain strong chemicals that can kill the cancerous cells of the body. It may be given in the form of pills or administered into the body through injections. It prevents further growth and spread of the cancerous cells. Many times, it is combined with other forms of cancer treatment. Some people may have to undergo chemotherapy before the surgery. This will help the cancerous cells to shrink which makes surgical removal of the cells easier. Chemotherapy is often combined with radiation therapy in order to make the treatment more effective.

Most of these stomach cancer treatments have some kind of side effects associated with them. These treatments have an adverse effects on the overall digestive health and the patients are susceptible to indigestion, diarrhea, vomiting, etc. However, once the body gets used to the changes brought about by these treatments, most of the side effects disappear. Lots of research studies are also on to make these treatments more effective and minimize their side effects.