What is the treatment plan for a patient with stomach cancer?

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I can understand your concern.

I have seen your PET- CT (positron emission tomography-computed tomography) scan report (attachment removed to protect the patient's identity) and based on that it is cancer of the distal part of stomach (food storage organ). Biopsy report is needed for confirmation (I hope it is already done before starting chemotherapy).

Recent PET scan is suggestive of non-metastatic disease (not spread to other sites). Now staging laparoscopy (to see inside the abdomen by scope with small hole) is advisable to see that it is non metastatic, because in 15 percent cases even PET scan can miss metastasis. After that chemotherapy is advisable to reduce the disease burden. Based on evidence, four cycle chemotherapy followed by surgery (distal radical gastrectomy) and again four cycle of chemotherapy to complete the full treatment. As you said that you already received four cycle of chemotherapy and now you are getting alternative treatment. Now there are two options-

1. Two more cycles of chemotherapy and followed by surgery and again two more cycle of chemotherapy after surgery. 2. Surgery as of now and followed by 4 cycle of chemotherapy. As I can tell you that you are lucky enough that disease is still non metastatic and still you have chance to complete the treatment. I would suggest you to complete the whole treatment. As per my knowledge there is no alternative treatment for stomach cancer and once disease is metastatic then there is no curative treatment. I would advise you that accept the thing as soon as you can and start the treatment.

Kindly revert for more queries.

Thank you.

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

I can understand your concern.

It is a major surgery and will take approximately three to four hours. It will require removal of whole stomach and followed by esophagojejunostomy (joint between esophagus and jejunum). Life will not be same as compare to before surgery. Surgical morbidity is 15 to 20 percent that include bleeding, surgical site infection and sometimes anastomosis leak.

Initial post operative recovery will take five to seven days and complete recovery take approximately three weeks. After surgery patient have to take small frequent meal (frequency five to six times in 24 hours). There are other lot of things also. I hope this will help you.

Thank you.