Clearview Cancer Center

Quick Links:

Types of Cancer - Stomach Cancer

Stomach cancer is also called gastric cancer. The stomach is only one of many organs in the abdomen where cancer can start. So stomach cancer should not be confused with cancers in other organs in the same area.

Types of Cancer

What is Stomach Cancer?

Cancer occurs whenever cells of the body cease to function normally and begin to replicate at an uncontrolled rate. Stomach cancer, also known as gastric cancer, can develop in any part of the stomach and may spread throughout the stomach and to other organs. It may grow along the stomach wall into the esophagus or small intestine or extend through the stomach wall and spread to nearby lymph nodes and to organs such as the liver, pancreas, and colon.

Staging and Diagnosis of Stomach Cancer

Stomach cancer can be hard to find early because often there are no symptoms until the cancer has spread. When symptoms do occur, they are often so vague that the person ignores them or attributes them to some other cause, like acid reflux or an ulcer. Stomach cancer can cause the following:

To find the cause of symptoms, the doctor asks about the patient's medical history, does a physical exam, and may order laboratory studies. The patient may also have one or all of the following exams:

Fecal Occult Blood Test

A check for hidden (occult) blood in the stool. This test is done by placing a small amount of stool on a plastic slide or on special paper. This test is done because stomach cancer sometimes causes bleeding that cannot be seen. However, noncancerous conditions also may cause bleeding, so having blood in the stool does not necessarily mean that a person has cancer.

Upper GI series

X-rays of the esophagus and stomach. The x-rays are taken after the patient drinks a barium solution, a thick, chalky liquid. (This test is sometimes called a barium swallow.) The barium outlines the stomach on the x-rays, helping the doctor find tumors or other abnormal areas. During the test, the doctor may pump air into the stomach to make small tumors easier to see.

Endoscopy

An exam of the esophagus and stomach using a thin, lighted tube called a gastroscope, which is passed through the mouth and esophagus to the stomach. Through the gastroscope, the doctor can look directly at the inside of the stomach. If an abnormal area is found, the doctor can remove some tissue through the gastroscope.

Treatment

Unfortunately, because early stomach cancer causes few symptoms, the disease is usually advanced when the diagnosis is made. However, advanced stomach cancer can be treated and the symptoms can be relieved. Treatment for stomach cancer may include surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiation therapy. New treatment approaches such as biological therapy and improved ways of using current methods are being studied in clinical trials. A patient may have one form of treatment or a combination of treatments.

Surgery is the most common treatment for stomach cancer. The operation is called gastrectomy. The surgeon removes part (subtotal or partial gastrectomy) or all (total gastrectomy) of the stomach, as well as some of the tissue around the stomach. After a subtotal gastrectomy, the doctor connects the remaining part of the stomach to the esophagus or the small intestine. After a total gastrectomy, the doctor connects the esophagus directly to the small intestine. Because cancer can spread through the lymphatic system, lymph nodes near the tumor are often removed during surgery so that the pathologist can check them for cancer cells. If cancer cells are in the lymph nodes, the disease may have spread to other parts of the body.

Many patients and their families want to learn all they can about stomach cancer and the treatment choices so they can take an active part in decisions about medical care. The doctor is the best person to answer these questions. When discussing treatment, the patient may want to talk with the doctor about research studies of new treatment methods. Such studies, called clinical trials, are designed to improve cancer treatment. More information about clinical trials is in the Clinical Trials section.

Researchers are finding better ways to treat stomach cancer, and the chances of recovery keep improving. Still, it is natural for patients and their families to be concerned about the future. There are many resources available both on and off the web for patients and their families. Links to some good web sites can be found on our web resources page, or check out our recommended reading list for patients and their families.

Source: NCI Cancernet