□■Treatment

Treatment for this stomach cancer very much depends on the size, location, stage of disease and patient’s health. Patient may probably have to receive more than one type of treatment. Patients may suggest to the doctor about taking part in a clinical trial, a research study on new treatment methods. It is an important option for patients any any stage. There will be a group of specialist including gastroenterologists, surgeons, medical oncologists , radiation oncologists ,oncology nurses and registered dietician to plan  your treatment choice and effects.

▶ A total or partial gastrectomy

A total gastrectomy  normally  is a surgery mainly on upper part of the stomach. The surgeon remove the whole stomach organ , nearby lymph nodes, part of esophagus and other nearby tissues. This surgery takes longer time to heal. Patients may suffer severe pain for first few days .Medicine can be provided to help endure the pain. Many patients who undergone this surgery will feel tired and weak for a period of time. Health care team will look after the patients to watch for any signs of bleeding or infections .This surgery can also causes patients to suffer from diarrhea or constipation. These symptoms depend on the patients and can be  controlled by taking medicines .For partial surgery, lower part of stomach with the cancer cell will be removed by surgeon. The surgeon will attach the remaining part of stomach organ to the intestine. Lymph nodes or other tissues which are nearby may be removed away .

▶ Chemotherapy

Most patient suffer from stomach cancer will get chemotheraphy treatment. This treatment uses drugs to kill cancer cell. It may be given either before or after surgery. It is often given with radiation theraphy. The drug for the treatment is given through intravenous .Patient may receive this treatment in an outpatient part of hospital , doctor’s office or at home. Some patients may have to be hospitalized throughout this treatment. Although this treatment kills fast- growing cell, it also harm cells that are good. There are some side effects after this treatment as the following;

□     Blood cells level⊹

As the drug kills healthy blood cells when killing cancer cell, levels of healthy cells will decrease. Patients most likely to get infections, bruises or even bleed easily. If the healthy blood level  is to low, health team will have to stop or reduce the dose of drug.

■    Hair loss⊹

This treatment may cause hair loss.  Hair will grow back after treatment but the colour and texture may be changed.

□     Poor appetite and nausea⊹

This treatment causes patients to lose their appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or mouth and lip sores. They usually go away when treatment ends. Health team can give medicine which is granisetron transdermal system. It is a patch used for preventing nausea and vomiting  for chemotheraphy patients. It can help to   

prevent  after receiving it for five consecutive days. Granisetron consist of  an ingredient which is sancuso which will prevent serotonin( a neurotransmitter which will bind to chemoreceptor trigger zone) from binding to nerves which was trigger by chemoreceptor agent thereby prevent nausea and vomiting.

▶ Radiation Theraphy

It uses high energy rays to kill cancer cells. This radiation theraphy usually is given with chemotheraphy to treat the stomach cancer. The radiation comes from a large machine . This treatment has to be done either in clinic or hospital. It usually have to be 5 days a week for several weeks.  The side effects  is depends on dosage and type of radiation. For external radiation to chest and abdomen, it may cause sore throat , heartburn pain or pain in stomach or intestine. Nausea and diarrhea may also be the side effect.It is common for patient’s skin at the treated area to be dry, reddish and itchy. Resting is important but normally doctors will suggests that the patients to be more active unless it leads to pain. The side effect will go away after the treatment.

                                               

                     ★ (Adapted from  http://www.sciencephoto.com/media/282780/enlarge)

▶Stent, radiation theraphy and laser theraphy

This is only for patient whose cancer tumor  has block the digestive tract. This patient with advanced stomach cancer may have tumor blocks the passage for food to flow. The surgeon may use endoscope to place a stent, tube made of mesh or plastic in the patient’s intestine so that the food can flow through. Radiation theraphy may help to reduce the size of tumor which is blocking the intestine.  Another method is by laser theraphy. It is a concentrated beam of light that kills tissue with heat. The laser is placed in the patient’s digestive tract by endoscope. Cancer cell which blocks the digestive tract is destroy by the laser.

 ▶Second opinion

This is before the patient receive any treatment. The patient may discuss with their doctor that they might want a second option from another doctor. If the second option is the same with  the first or is another way of treatment, the patient will have more information on their own disease.