CancerQuest | Gastric Cancer: Treatment

Gastric cancer treatments can be divided into two categories based on the cancer: early stage and advanced stage. Early stage treatment involves tumors that have not yet penetrated the serosal layer of the stomach. Advanced stage treatment involves tumors that have penetrated the serosa and have spread to other regions of the body. Treatment options depend on the size and location of the tumor, the physical condition of patient, and the cancer stage.

Surgery is the most common treatment option for early-stage gastric cancer. Three main surgical options exist for gastric cancer:

Total gastrectomy - The surgical removal of the entire stomach
Partial or subtotal gastrectomy - The surgical removal of specific sections of the stomach
Resection - The surgical removal of a tumor and some surrounding tissue

The removal of the surrounding lymph nodes is frequently done during any type of surgery. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy may also be used after surergy. Gastric cancer has a high recurrence rate, so maintaining a healthy lifestyle and continuing medical surveillance after treatment are important.

Because our focus is on the biology of the cancers and their treatments, we do not give detailed treatment guidelines. Instead, we link to organizations in the U.S. that generate the treatment guidelines.

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) lists the following treatments for gastric cancer:

Information about clinical trials: