1. Cut Out the Cancer
Surgery is the most common treatment for gastric cancer. It has been successful in all of the stages of cancer. During surgery, doctors can remove as little as a small amount of the stomach lining or as much as the entire stomach, depending on how much the cancer has spread. If surgeons have to remove the entire stomach, then they attach the esophagus to the small intestine to allow future swallowing and eating.
2. Kill the Cancer With Chemo
Chemotherapy uses drugs either taken by mouth or injected into the bloodstream to kill the cancer cells in the stomach over time. Chemo is a good choice when surgery is not possible due to where the cancer has grown. Only in recent years have drugs been developed that are very effective in fighting stomach cancer.
3. Zap the Gastric Cancer Cells
Radiation is another common form of stomach cancer treatment. It uses high-energy radiation in the form of x-rays to kill cancer cells and inhibit future growth. External treatment sends the radiation from outside the body in beams aimed at the cancer growth. Internal treatment applies radiation directly to the cancer from a needle or catheter. Radiation cancer treatment takes a lot of time, usually being done in 25 to 30 sessions everyday over the course of five to six weeks.
4. Combine Forces Against the Cancer Cells
Oncologists often combine chemotherapy, surgery and radiation to increase the effectiveness of all cancer treatment options and as a preventative measure to stop future growth. In advanced cases of gastric cancer, chemoradiation may be given before or after surgery. In advanced stages of gastric cancer, chemoradiation can be successful in lengthening the period of survival.
5. Use the Power of the Body
Another treatment option for stomach cancer is biological treatment. This technique uses the power of the immune system to fight off the cancer. The immune system turns the body on itself to destroy the bad cells. Patients use biological therapy in conjunction with other treatments to stimulate the body's natural anticancer abilities. This form of cancer treatment is still in the early stages of research, but has proven to be successful many times.
