A tumor in the stomach (also called gastric cancer) is an abnormal growth of cells that can be benign or malignant. Most tumors in the stomach start in the inner lining of the stomach or the muscle that surrounds it. They can grow slowly over a long time or more quickly. Some types of tumors, such as lymphoma and sarcoma, can spread to other parts of the body.
Most cases of stomach cancer are adenocarcinomas, which begin in the glandular tissue that lines the stomach. Other types of cancer can also form in the stomach, including squamous cell carcinoma, which begins in the flat, squarish cells that make up the outer layer of the stomach, and gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine cancer, which starts in the cells that produce hormones and other chemicals that control blood flow to and from the digestive tract.
Some tumors in the stomach can be cured with surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiation therapy. Other tumors may be treated with targeted therapy, which is a type of treatment that targets the genes or proteins that support cancer growth and survival.
The first step in treating stomach cancer is to find out how far it has spread, which is called staging. A group of specialists will review your test results and decide on a treatment plan for you.
You will have many different tests to find out if you have stomach cancer and how far it has spread. These tests include:
Computed tomography scan (CT or CAT scan): This test gives doctors detailed pictures of your stomach. It takes a series of X-rays and uses computers to create a three-dimensional image of your stomach. This allows them to see small areas of the tumor and other structures inside your abdomen. It also can show whether a tumor has spread to other organs.
Endoscopy: This is an invasive procedure that lets doctors examine the inside of your stomach with a thin tube inserted through your mouth or throat. It can help doctors find and remove small tumors in the lining of your stomach.
Blood tests: These can measure how well your liver and kidneys are working, and check your red blood cells for anemia. You might also have a complete blood count, which is an exam of the entire blood supply.
If the tumor is in stage 0, you might not need any treatment. If it is in stage 1 and has spread to the deeper layers of your stomach or to nearby lymph nodes, you will have surgery, chemo, or chemoradiation. Chemo and chemoradiation use drugs to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors, and radiation therapy destroys cancer cells with beams of high-energy light.
The cancer can come back after treatment, so you will need regular checkups. You will have tests to look for signs of the disease, such as CT scans and MRI. You will also have tests to check for cancer markers, which are substances that are made by certain types of cancer cells. These include carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and CA 19-9.
