Symptoms of Stomach Cancer include:

• Fatigue
• Feeling bloated after eating
• Feeling full even after eating a little
• Severe and persistent heartburn
• Severe and unrelenting indigestion
• Persistent and unexplained Nausea and Vomiting
• Unexplained Stomach pain
• Unexplained Weight loss

Having any of these symptoms does not mean it is cancer, but if one or more of them is noticed for more than two weeks then a doctor must be seen and an immediate health screening is a must.

• Adenocarcinoma or cancer that begins in the glandular cells- Adenocarcinoma accounts for a great majority of stomach cancers. Sometimes, the glandular cells that line the inside of the stomach and secrete a protective layer of mucus to shield the lining of the stomach from the acidic digestive juices can develop cancer.
• A gastrointestinal stromal tumour (GIST) or Cancer that begins in nervous system tissues- A rare form of cancer, gastrointestinal stromal tumour (GIST) occurs in specific nervous system cells found in the stomach. Because most types of stomach cancer are rare, when people use the term “stomach cancer” they refer to adenocarcinoma.
• Carcinoid cancer or cancer that begins in hormone-producing cells- A rare cancer which can be developed by hormone-producing cells.
• Lymphoma or cancer that begins in the cells of the immune system- A rare form of cancer that can be caused by a minuscule number of immune system cells that are present in the walls of the stomach.

Tests and procedures used to diagnose stomach cancer include:

• Endoscopy – A thin tube containing a tiny camera is passed down your throat and into your stomach to look for any cancer signs. If anything, suspicious is detected, a piece of tissue sample is sent for biopsy (analysis).
• Exploratory surgery – Surgery is recommended after verified evidence that cancer has spread beyond the stomach within the abdomen. Exploratory surgery is usually done laparoscopically where several small incisions are made in the abdomen including inserting a special camera that transmits images to a monitor in the operating theatre.
• Imaging tests – Imaging tests used to check for stomach cancer include computerized tomography (CT) scan, positron emission tomography scan (PET) and a special type of X-ray exam called barium swallow.

The stages of adenocarcinoma otherwise known as stomach cancer are:

• Stage I- At this stage, the tumor is limited to the layer of tissue that lines the inside of the stomach. Cancer cells may also have spread to a limited number of nearby lymph nodes.
• Stage II- At this stage, the cancer has spread deeper, growing into the muscle layer of the stomach wall. Cancer cells may also have spread to more of the lymph nodes.
• Stage III- At this stage, the cancer may have grown through all the layers of the stomach, or it may be a smaller cancer that has spread more extensively to the lymph nodes.
• Stage IV- This stage indicates that the cancer has spread to distant areas of the body.

At Apollo Hospitals, we offer a 360-degree approach to treat and cure diseases like cancer. The treatment options available at Apollo Hospital Lucknow are:

The goal of surgery is to remove every bit of the stomach cancer and a margin of healthy tissue, whenever possible. Options include:

• Removing Early-stage Tumors from the Stomach Lining- Very small cancers limited to the inside lining of the stomach may be removed with the procedure of endoscopic mucosal resection. The endoscope is a lighted tube with a camera that’s passed down your throat into your stomach. The surgeon uses specialised tools to remove the cancer and a margin of healthy tissue from the stomach lining.
• Total Gastrectomy- Total gastrectomy involves removing the entire stomach and some surrounding tissue. The oesophagus is then connected directly to the small intestine to allow food to move through your digestive system.
• Subtotal Gastrectomy- During subtotal gastrectomy, the surgeon removes only that portion of the stomach affected by cancer.
• Removing Lymph Nodes to Look for Cancer- The surgeon examines and removes lymph nodes in your abdomen to look for cancer cells.
• Surgery to Relieve Signs and Symptoms- While surgery cannot cure removing part of the stomach may provide relief and give some comfort to those struggling with the signs and symptoms in advanced stages of stomach cancer.

Apollo Hospital Lucknow is the best Hospital for Cancer Surgery in Lucknow & Uttar Pradesh.

Neoadjuvant radiation therapy is prescribed before surgery to shrink and localise a stomach tumour so that it’s more easily removed. Adjuvant radiation therapy is prescribed after surgery to kill any cancer cells that might remain around your stomach. Apollo Lucknow with TrueBeam LINAC option offers an improved type of radiotherapy that can be used to treat tumors that are difficult to reach. Due to its precision can be used to effectively treat stomach cancer without affecting the surrounding vital organs such as the kidneys, liver, pancreas and intestines. Radiation is often combined with chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy is a drug treatment that uses chemicals to kill cancer cells that may have spread beyond the stomach.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is prescribed before surgery to help shrink and localise a tumor so that it can be more easily removed. Adjuvant chemotherapy is prescribed after surgery to kill any cancer cells that might remain in the body. Chemotherapy is often combined with radiation therapy. Sometimes, in cases of advanced cancer, chemotherapy may be singularly used to help relieve signs and symptoms.

Targeted therapy uses drugs to attack specific abnormalities within cancer cells like the following:

• Trastuzumab (Herceptin) for stomach cancer cells that produce too much HER2.
• Sunitinib (Sutent) for gastrointestinal stromal tumor.
• Imatinib (Gleevec) for a rare form of stomach cancer called gastrointestinal stromal tumor.

Tests of cancer cells can indicate whether and what kind of treatments are likely to work for patients.

Apollo Lucknow is one of the recognised centres for the best treatment of Stomach Cancer. Cancer Treatment at Apollo Hospital Lucknow has a multidisciplinary team of doctors (Oncosurgeons, Gastrosurgeons, plastic surgeons, Reconstructive surgeons, Radiation oncologists & Medical oncologists) who address all dimensions of treatment, for the best outcome.