Stomach Cancer Treatments
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Stomach Cancer Treatments
In a previous article, we discussed some holistic (natural) approaches to dealing with stomach cancer. For the sake of impartiality, this article will focus on the conventional (or, “mainsteram”) treatment options that an M.D. would likely present to a patient dealing with a Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor or other type of stomach cancer.
1. Surgery
Surgery is performed under general anesthetic. A surgeon removes the unhealthy tissue of the stomach, and some of the surrounding healthy tissue, to discourage a spread of the malignancy. The patient is unconscious during the procedure, and typically spends a few days in the hospital following the operation. An operation which removes all or a part of the stomachis is known as a “gastrectomy”. This procedure is dependent on the type of cancer and whether or not it has spread.
A partial gastrectomy may be all that is required, if the cancer is detected and operated on at an early stage. It is removed, along with some of the surrounding lymph nodes, and possibly, a part of the esophagus and small intestine, depending on the cancer’s location. Simultaneously, reconstructive surgery is performed, to attach the esophagus back to the intestine.
A total gastrectomy involves removal of the entire stomach, lymph nodes, and, as above, part of the small intestine and esophagus, as well as surrounding tissue. The spleen may be removed, as well.
Palliative surgery is not a treatment, but designed to make the patient more comfortable. If the tumor blocks the esophagus or small intestine, the surgeon creates a pathway that allows the stomach to reconnect to the other digestive organs, allowing the passage of food to take place.
There may be pain or nausea present after the surgery. During the hospital stay, a tube may be inserted to deliver nutrients to the patient. A consultation with a nutritionist or dietitian may be advised to teach the patient better eating habits. Proper nutrition is especially crucial after stomach cancer and surgery.
2. Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy may be administered in liquid or pill form. It is a double edged sword. While it interferes with cancerous cell’s normal replication, it can also damage healthy cells, which is why it carries a long list of unpleasant side effects. Side effects may include rashes, fatigue, hair loss, nausea, vomiting, confusion, weight loss, diminished appetite and a greater infection risk.
3. Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy is generally applied with a large, external device that precisely directs a beam of radiation to the area of the body in which the tumor is found. Much like chemotherapy, it is not a highly selective approach to “treating” cancer. The cancerous cells are destroyed, but since they can reside alongside healthy tissue and cells, the latter are also damaged by radiation therapy. Radiation therapy, along with chemotherapy, may be used together to treat stomach cancer after surgery has been performed. Unlike chemotherapy, the side effects of radiation therapy are usually mild; once the therapy is stopped and the healthy cells have a chance to heal themselves, the side effects lessen and stop.
Learn more at http://www.gastrointestinalstromaltumor.org
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