Stomach cancer also known as gastric cancer starts in the stomach which is a sac like organ responsible for initiating the digestion process. The treatment of stomach cancer varies from person to person and depends on size and location of tumor and patient's health.

This article helps you in stomach cancer detection and treatment.

Detection

If stomach cancer is suspected, the doctor calls for certain tests to confirm the diagnosis.

Upper Endoscopy:

An endoscope which is a flexible telescope is passed through mouth into stomach and first part of small intestine. The endoscope has light at its tip which allows the doctor to see inside the stomach for any abnormal growths.

Biopsy:

For further diagnosis a biopsy is performed by taking a small sample of tissue from the abnormal growth which is examined under a microscope.

Stomach Cancer Treatment

The stomach cancer stage treatment depends on the fact that how far the disease has spread, what is the general health of patient and at which stage the disease has reached.

• Surgery:

  Surgery is used to remove tumor when cancer is at an early stage. The doctor may remove a part of the stomach or the infected tissues surrounding by. If cancer has advanced he may remove the whole stomach.

• Stomach Cancer Chemotherapy:

  These drugs don't allow cancer cells from growing further and restricts its spread. This can be administered orally or through intravenous route.

• Radiotherapy:

  It uses a high energy beam of radiations which kills cancer cells and don't allow them to multiply.

• Chemo radiation:

  It is a mix of radiation (high energy waves) and chemo, which is often done before surgery to shrink the size of tumor.

• Targeted drugs:

  These drugs target only cancer cells unlike chemo and radiation which may harm healthier cells also.

Prognosis of Stomach Cancer

The main problem with stomach cancer is that it is not diagnosed at early stages. However, if diagnosed at early stages then the chances of stomach cancer recovery are fairly high. If the stomach cancer spreads through the walls of the stomach, lymph nodes or other body parts, stomach cancer cure is less likely.

The treatments using chemotherapy medicines can often slow down the growth of cancers and new treatments continue to develop. Survival depends on what stage the disease has reached and how well the body responds to various treatments.

Stomach or gastric cancer is a deadly condition which begins in the stomach. As its diagnosis and treatment depend on the location and size of the tumor, it is essential to have regular preventive health checkups. By getting the right health care services, screenings, tests and treatments, you are increasing the chances of living a healthier life.