If you have stage 4 stomach cancer, it means the original tumor has spread to distant organs and tissues. This is the most advanced stage of stomach cancer, and you may have other health problems as well. The outlook for this stage of cancer is difficult to predict, as it depends on your individual situation and how the cancer responds to treatment.
In the TNM staging system for stomach cancer, specialists use numbers to describe how far the disease has spread. They look at the size of the main tumor (T), whether or not the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes (N) and if it has spread to other sites in the body (M). This helps doctors work out which treatments might help.
The most common early signs of stomach cancer are unexplained weight loss and stomach pain, often above the belly button. The cancer may also cause you to feel bloated or full all the time. You might have blood in your stool or vomit a lot. You may notice that your skin looks yellow or you have an inability to keep food down, which can lead to malnutrition.
Stomach cancer that has spread to other parts of the body is called metastatic cancer, and it’s hard to cure once it gets to this stage. If your doctor finds that your cancer has spread, they will try to control symptoms and relieve other health problems.
Your health care team will use imaging tests to see if your cancer has spread, such as CT and positron emission tomography (PET). They might also recommend surgery to look for small bits of cancer that have spread. If the cancer has grown through your stomach wall into other layers and spread to your liver or lungs, your doctor might refer you to specialists.
If the cancer has spread to your lymph nodes or other places in your body, your doctor might give you chemotherapy to stop it spreading further. They might also give you radiation therapy to destroy any remaining cancer cells in your stomach. They might suggest experimental treatments for you, such as immunotherapy, which uses drugs to stimulate the body’s immune system to fight the cancer.
If you have stage 4 stomach cancer, you may need a feeding tube to get nutrition and fluids. You might also need a breathing machine to help you breathe if the cancer has made your stomach and lungs narrower. During this stage of cancer, you might have painful or uncomfortable side effects from the treatment, such as vomiting and diarrhea. If these are too hard to tolerate, you might be referred to palliative care. This team of health care experts focuses on easing your symptoms and helping you have the best quality of life. It is possible to live longer with this stage of stomach cancer, but the outlook varies from person to person. Your health, how the cancer responds to treatment and your other medical conditions all affect your prognosis.
