Gastric (Stomach) Cancer Facts: Diagnosis and Treatment Options
Diagnosing Gastric Cancer
If your healthcare provider suspects you have gastric cancer, he or she will perform a physical exam, ask you questions about your Signs And Symptoms, go over your medical history, and perform diagnostic tests in order to rule out or confirm a diagnosis of gastric cancer.
Your doctor may use one or more of the following tests to diagnose gastric cancer and determine if the cancer has spread to other parts of the body:
- Endoscopy: Doctors typically use endoscopy
to diagnose gastric cancer, specifically upper endoscopy. During an upper endoscopy, a flexible, skinny tube with a light is inserted down the throat. This instrument allows the doctor to see your esophagus, stomach and upper part of the small intestine. If the doctor sees abnormal areas, he or she will take biopsies
of the areas. A laboratory will examine the tissue samples removed during the biopsies and determine if gastric cancer is present and if further tests are needed.
- Barium Radiograph: A barium radiograph allows your doctor to see if there are abnormalities in your esophagus, stomach and upper part of the small intestine. For this procedure, you need to drink a solution called barium, which outlines any abnormal areas and lets the radiologist
take X rays.
- Endoscopic Ultrasound: An ultrasound
is a test that uses sound waves that target the internal organs, like the stomach, and displays images on a computer screen. An endoscopic ultrasound is used to see if, and how far, gastric cancer has metastasized, or spread. A small device called a probe is inserted through the mouth or nose and then guided down to the stomach, and images are displayed on a computer screen.
- Computed Tomography (CT) Scan: A CT scan
takes multiple, detailed X ray pictures of your body. These pictures are cross-sectional, or "sliced," pictures of the part of your body being studied. In the case of gastric cancer diagnosis, a CT scan would take pictures of slices of your stomach. CT scans can help pinpoint the location of the cancer and determine if it has spread.
- Positron Emission Tomography (PET
): A PET scan uses radioactive sugar, injected into your vein, to spot cancerous tissue. PET scans typically are used to pinpoint cancer that may have spread outside of the stomach.
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): An MRI
is a type of scan that uses strong magnets and radio waves to locate possible problems in the stomach. These waves are translated into detailed pictures of the stomach. An MRI may be ordered when your doctor wants to see more than he or she could see through a CT scan.
- Chest X Ray: Your doctor may order X rays of the chest to determine if gastric cancer has spread to the lungs, one of the common places gastric cancer may spread. Chest X rays also may be used to check for serious heart or lung conditions.
Gastric Cancer Treatment Options
Once you have been diagnosed with gastric cancer and your doctor knows the extent of your cancer, you and your doctor will discuss your gastric cancer treatment options and select the most appropriate option or options. There are many treatment options available, and the decision can be overwhelming. It is important to talk to your healthcare provider about any concerns you may have.
Gastric cancer treatment varies depending on how advanced your cancer is and other factors. Following is a brief summary of common treatment options available for gastric cancer. Your treatment may include one or a combination of these options.
- Surgery: Surgery may be done to remove the gastric cancer and part of the stomach containing the cancer. Surgery typically is done in earlier stages of gastric cancer, but sometimes it also is done in advanced stages to relieve pain and discomfort from gastric cancer.
There are several types of surgery for gastric cancer. Your doctor will determine which may be best for you, based on the location and extent of your cancer. Your doctor also may surgically remove the lymph nodes
near the stomach, as well as the spleen, if the cancer has spread to these areas.
- Radiation Therapy: Radiation therapy
is a treatment that kills or shrinks cancer cells by using high-energy rays. When the radiation is delivered through the outside of the body, it is called external-beam radiation therapy. This type of radiation therapy typically is used to treat gastric cancer. Your doctor may recommend radiation therapy if cancer remains after surgery. Radiation therapy also may be used to help relieve pain and discomfort from gastric cancer.
- Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy
is the use of drugs to help kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy may be administered in pill form or through a vein. Your doctor may recommend chemotherapy treatment at any stage of cancer, but usually it is chosen if your gastric cancer has spread. Chemotherapy also may be used to help relieve pain and discomfort from gastric cancer. Chemotherapy may have side effects. Get Tips For Managing Chemotherapy Side Effects
.
Treatment for Advanced Gastric Adenocarcinoma
As you may have learned on the About Gastric Cancer page, when gastric cancer becomes advanced, it is called advanced gastric adenocarcinoma
.
If you have advanced gastric adenocarcinoma, your doctor may recommend surgery plus radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy for your treatment. A chemotherapy combination including the drugs Taxotere® plus cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil (or 5-FU) has been shown to prolong the lives of people with advanced gastric adenocarcinoma.
Learn more about Taxotere® treatment for advanced gastric adenocarcinoma, including adenocarcinoma of the gastroesophageal junction (the area where the stomach and esophagus connect), in the About Taxotere® section of this site. Also, be sure to visit the Understanding Chemotherapy section for tips on managing chemotherapy side effects and more.
