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Treatment Options for Stomach Cancer
Treatment for stomach cancer depends on the stage of the cancer, its location, and the patient’s overall health. The main treatment options include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy.
Surgery
Surgery is the most common treatment for stomach cancer, especially in the early stages. The goal of surgery is to remove the tumor and some surrounding healthy tissue.
- Subtotal Gastrectomy: Removal of part of the stomach containing the cancer.
- Total Gastrectomy: Removal of the entire stomach, often with nearby lymph nodes and parts of the esophagus and small intestine.
- Endoscopic Resection: For very early-stage cancer, the tumor can be removed through an endoscope.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy uses high-energy rays to kill cancer cells or shrink tumors. It is often used in combination with other treatments.
- External Beam Radiation: The most common form, where radiation is delivered from outside the body.
- Internal Radiation (Brachytherapy): Less common, where radioactive material is placed inside the body near the cancer.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells. It can be administered before surgery (neoadjuvant) to shrink the tumor, after surgery (adjuvant) to kill any remaining cancer cells, or as the main treatment for advanced cancer.
- Systemic Chemotherapy: Drugs are given orally or intravenously, affecting the whole body.
- Regional Chemotherapy: Drugs are delivered directly to the area around the stomach.
Targeted Therapy
Targeted therapy uses drugs to target specific molecules involved in cancer growth and spread. These therapies tend to have fewer side effects than chemotherapy.
- HER2-Targeted Therapy: For tumors that overexpress the HER2 protein, drugs like trastuzumab (Herceptin) can be effective.
- VEGF-Targeted Therapy: Drugs like ramucirumab (Cyramza) target the VEGF protein to inhibit blood vessel growth in tumors.
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy helps the immune system recognize and attack cancer cells. It is a promising treatment for certain types of stomach cancer.
- Checkpoint Inhibitors: Drugs like pembrolizumab (Keytruda) block proteins that prevent the immune system from attacking cancer cells.
Palliative Care
Palliative care focuses on relieving symptoms and improving the quality of life for patients with advanced stomach cancer. It can be provided alongside curative treatments or as the main approach when cancer is not curable.
- Pain Management: Medications and other therapies to manage pain.
- Nutritional Support: Assistance with maintaining adequate nutrition.
- Psychological Support: Counseling and support for emotional well-being.
