Stomach Cancer

Prevention

The causes of stomach cancer aren't completely understood, but some evidence indicates that a certain diet can help to prevent stomach cancer. Eat a diet high in fresh food, particularly fresh fruits and vegetables. Do not smoke. Drink alcohol in moderation. Most experts recommend that women have no more than one drink a day and that men have no more than two drinks a day. Avoid smoked, cured, fermented, and pickled foods, as well as foods, such as bacon, that have been cured with nitrates.

Treatment

The three most common treatments for stomach cancer are surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Surgery currently is the only cure for the disease. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy are used to relieve symptoms and slow the progress of the disease, and sometimes can prolong survival.

• Stomach cancer surgery, called gastrectomy, involves the removal of part or all of the stomach. Nearby lymph glands also may have to be removed.

• Chemotherapy involves anticancer drugs, given by mouth or injected into a vein.

• Radiation therapy involves high-energy radiation, which is used to attack cancer cells.

Chemotherapy and radiation therapy can be used alone or in combination, and either can effectively destroy cancer cells. However, both therapies destroy healthy tissue as well, which can cause a number of side effects. For this reason, chemotherapy or radiation therapy generally is accompanied by treatments for side effects, which may include fatigue, nausea, decreased blood counts, and hair loss. Treatment of stomach cancer also may require steps to ensure that the patient continues to receive proper nutrition.