Stomach cancer is one among the most common cancers worldwide for both men and women. Also known as gastric cancer, this begins in the stomach, usually in the stomach lining. This may eventually spread to other organs of the body such as lungs, liver, colon, pancreas, and ovaries. The exact cause of stomach cancer is unknown till now.
However, there are certain proven risk factors like high starch and low fiber foods, tobacco and alcohol abuse, family history of any form of stomach cancer, previous stomach surgery, ageing, and occupational hazards.
As per a report of the New England Journal of Medicine, Helicobacter pylori infection has also been proved as a cause of gastric cancer. The symptoms may include abdominal pain, diarrhea or constipation, bloating after meals, nausea and vomiting, indigestion, burning sensation, loss of appetite and unexplained weight loss. Chemotherapy for stomach cancer is aimed at treating the cancerous cells with anticancer drugs to inhibit their growth.
Among the different types of stomach cancer treatment procedures, chemotherapy is an effective one. In this procedure, anticancer drugs are administered to the patient in different ways, depending upon the type and severity of the cancer. The drugs either kill the cancerous cells in the stomach or stop their reproduction and growth.
Patients receive chemotherapy for stomach cancer in cycles. A medical oncologist decides how long a chemotherapy procedure should be continued, depending upon the size of tumor and the spreading time.
The different types of chemotherapy are oral chemotherapy, regional chemotherapy, palliative chemotherapy and neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
The possible side effects of the chemotherapy treatment depend on the type of drug the patient is taking and the total time period of the treatment. An experienced oncologist can guide you well in this context.
Oral chemotherapy is also known as systemic therapy, and in this case, the patient takes the chemotherapy drugs through the mouth or through injection into a vein or muscle. In this way, the drugs enter the bloodstream and reach the cancerous tissues throughout the body.
Some of the FDA approved drugs for stomach cancer are Adriamycin PFS, Adriamycin RDF, Fluorouracil and Docetaxel etc.
In this case, the chemotherapy drugs are injected directly into the parts having cancerous cells. The drugs only affect the tumor cells in that particular area.
Palliative chemotherapy for stomach cancer is yet another effective cancer plan, which aims at lessening the symptoms of the patients on a consistent basis. In addition to regular treatments and drug administration, the palliative care benefits the patients by healing their associated pain and difficulties. The palliative approaches include:
According to a report of Annals of Oncology, palliative chemotherapy is considered as a cost effective therapy for the people suffering from advanced gastrointestinal cancer.
Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is now a new and well established concept of care for the advanced stomach cancer. This particular chemotherapy for stomach cancer is short-term, consisting of two cycles of 6 to 8 weeks.
This therapy can be administered simultaneously or sequentially with the radio chemotherapy. The neoadjuvant chemotherapy helps in improving the curative respectability of locally advanced disease and eventually increases the patient's survival. Moreover, it better controls the tumor micrometastases and aids in lowering long-term toxicity. It also provides essential information about the postoperative use of the chemotherapeutic agents.
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