How Is Stomach Cancer Treated?

Introduction

According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 21,130 people will be diagnosed with stomach cancer in the United States in 2009. Another 10,620 will die from stomach cancer the same year. However, there are methods of treatment. The three most common types of treatment for stomach cancer are surgery, chemotherapy and radiation.

Surgery is one of the most common forms of stomach cancer treatment and is usually the first choice for most doctors. Surgery involves the removal of a cancerous area (tumor) by severing the cancerous cells from their blood supply and taking them from the body. In some cases, nearby lymph nodes may also be removed as a precaution against the metastasis (spreading) of the cancer.

Radiation is the next most common form of treatment for stomach cancer. In some cases, it may even be used in conjunction with surgery to ensure that all cancerous cells have been neutralized. Radiation involves the use of specialized equipment to direct a stream of radiation at cancer cells. The radiation alters the DNA of the cancer cells, making them unable to reproduce and multiply.

Chemotherapy is usually reserved for stomach cancer that has begun to spread through the blood or lymph streams to other areas of the body. Unlike radiation, chemotherapy spreads throughout the entire body and can kill any cells that have an accelerated growth rate. Chemotherapy involves the intravenous or oral consumption of chemotherapy drugs that can target cancer cells and neutralize them. Since chemotherapy cannot distinguish between cancer cells and other healthy cells that multiply at an increased rate (such as hair cells), chemotherapy often comes with side effects such as the loss of hair and damage to other tissue cells throughout the body.