What is stomach cancer?

Stomach (or gastric) cancer is the growth of abnormal cells in the stomach. Cancer usually starts in the inner layer (where food touches the stomach) and moves into the outer layers of the stomach. It may spread to nearby organs or to other parts of the body.

Common symptoms of stomach cancer include unintended weight loss, belly pain, nausea, and trouble swallowing. It may also cause symptoms such as feeling full after eating only a small amount, feeling bloated after eating, lack of appetite, vomiting, and blood in the stool.

Your doctor will do a physical exam and ask questions about your health. You may have tests, including blood tests and imaging tests, like a CT scan or PET scan. The doctor may use a thin, lighted tube (endoscope) to look inside your stomach and take a tissue sample (biopsy) for testing.

Treatment for stomach cancer is based on the stage of the cancer and other things, such as your overall health. The main options include:

• Endoscopic treatment. An endoscope may be used to remove early-stage cancer.
• Surgery. A doctor may remove part or all of the stomach (partial or total gastrectomy) and nearby tissues.
• Radiation therapy. This uses high-dose X-rays to destroy cancer cells and shrink tumors.
• Chemotherapy. These medicines kill fast-growing cells, including cancer cells and some normal cells.
• Chemoradiation. Chemotherapy and radiation may be given together. This may work better than using either treatment alone.

Other treatment options may include:

• Targeted therapy. These medicines target cancer cells and may cause less harm to normal cells. They help keep cancer from growing or spreading.
• Immunotherapy. This treatment helps your immune system fight cancer.

Your doctor will talk with you about your options and then make a treatment plan.

• Take your medicines exactly as directed. Call your doctor if you have any problems with your medicine.
• Follow your doctor's instructions to relieve pain. Pain from cancer and surgery can almost always be controlled. Use pain medicine when you first notice pain, before it becomes severe.
• If you had surgery, follow your doctor's directions for eating after surgery. Get help from a dietitian if needed. You will feel full sooner than you did before. You'll need to eat slowly and have several small meals a day. This can help prevent a problem called dumping syndrome, which happens when food goes into the small intestine too quickly. Dumping syndrome can cause diarrhea and make you feel faint, bloated, shaky, and nauseated.
• Get some physical activity every day, but do not get too tired.
• Think about joining a support group. Or discuss your concerns with your doctor, counselor, or other health professional.
• If you are vomiting or have diarrhea:
  • Drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. Choose water and other clear liquids. If you have kidney, heart, or liver disease and have to limit fluids, talk with your doctor before you increase the amount of fluids you drink.
  • When you are able to eat, try clear soups, mild foods, and liquids until all symptoms are gone for 12 to 48 hours. Other good choices include dry toast, crackers, cooked cereal, and gelatin dessert, such as Jell-O.
• If you have not already done so, prepare a list of advance directives. Advance directives are instructions to your doctor and family members about what kind of care you want if you become unable to speak or express yourself.