Treatment of Stomach Cancer: Surgery

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(Free-Press-Release.com) January 26, 2005 -- Treatment of Stomach Cancer: Surgery

Surgery is the most common treatment for stomach cancer. The operation is called gastrectomy. The surgeon removes part (subtotal or partial gastrectomy) or all (total gastrectomy) of the stomach, as well as some of the tissue around the stomach. After a subtotal gastrectomy, the doctor connects the remaining part of the stomach to the esophagus or the small intestine. After a total gastrectomy, the doctor connects the esophagus directly to the small intestine. Because cancer can spread through the lymphatic system, lymph nodes near the tumor are often removed during surgery so that the pathologist can check them for cancer cells. If cancer cells are in the lymph nodes, the disease may have spread to other parts of the body.

These are some questions a patient may want to ask the doctor before surgery:

What kind of operation will I have?

What are the risks of this operation?

How will I feel afterwards? If I have pain, how will you help me?

Will I need a special diet? Who will teach me about my diet?