Stomach cancer

Surgery is the main treatment for stomach cancer. It aims to remove the part of the stomach containing the tumour. Surgery can also be done to relieve symptoms. Different types of surgery can be done, depending on where the cancer is. 

Read more about stomach cancer surgery.

Chemotherapy alone is unlikely to cure stomach cancer. It can be used:

• Before surgery to shrink the tumour.
• After surgery to reduce the risk of the cancer coming back.
• To control or improve your symptoms and give you a better quality of life.

Your specialist nurse will give you a list of the chemotherapy drugs you will receive and explain the side-effects. Read more about chemotherapy.

These drugs can target specific features of cancer cells to destroy them or work to block the growth of cancer cells. For example, trastuzumab may help people with advanced stomach cancer that is helped to grow by a protein called HER2.  Trastuzumab blocks the HER2 protein. Your medical team will tell you if there is a targeted therapy suitable to treat your cancer. 

Read more about targeted therapies.

This uses high-energy rays to kill cancer cells. It can be given with chemotherapy after surgery to kill any cancer cells left behind, to help stop the cancer coming back. With gastro-oesophageal cancer (GOJ), radiotherapy and chemotherapy may be given to shrink the tumour before surgery.

Radiotherapy can also help to control the symptoms of advanced cancer. Read more about radiotherapy.