Treatment Options

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The Cancer Therapy Team at 台湾swag District Hospital offer 鈥榩rehabilitation鈥� which is the work done to build up your physical and mental health, before your cancer treatment starts. This aims to put you in the best place possible to manage the treatment to come. For more information on the Cancer Therapy Team visit: Cancer Therapy Team听

Macmillan Cancer Support have also put together the following information and videos: 听

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Treatment for stomach cancer, depends on where the cancer has developed within the stomach and the type of cells it affects.听听

Surgery:

If the cancer has not spread, then the majority of cases would be treated by surgery.听听

For more information on surgery to treat stomach cancer, visit: 听

If the cancer is at an early stage, surgery may be used with the aim of curing the cancer. There are different types of operations used to treat stomach cancer. The operation will depend on the size and position of the tumour and your doctor will talk to you about the most appropriate type of surgery for your situation. It鈥檚 important to discuss the operation fully with your doctor before it happens. It may help to make a list of any questions you want to ask.听

You may need to stay in hospital for up to a few weeks for some types of surgery.听听

You may have pain following this type of surgery which is normal. You may be given painkillers to help manage the pain. Some people may have 1 or 2 wounds after surgery which will need cleaning and the dressing kept dry. Your nurse will provide you information on how to look after your wound when you leave the hospital.听

For more information on surgery for stomach cancer, visit:听听

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Chemotherapy:

Chemotherapy uses anti-cancer (cytotoxic) drugs to destroy cancer cells. Cytotoxic means toxic to cells. These drugs disrupt the way cancer cells grow and divide, but they also affect normal cells, which may cause side effects.鈥�Chemotherapy may be chosen as a course of treatment on its own, or alongside surgery and/or radiotherapy.听听

It鈥檚 important to discuss the benefits and side effects of chemotherapy with your cancer specialist. If you have a cancer that has spread, and you decide that you don鈥檛 want to have chemotherapy, your doctor can still prescribe medicines to help control symptoms.鈥�听

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy:

Chemotherapy is often given before an operation to remove an oesophageal cancer as it can shrink the tumour, making it easier to remove. This is sometimes called neoadjuvant chemotherapy.听听

Adjuvant chemotherapy:

Chemotherapy can sometimes be given after surgery to reduce the chances of the disease coming back. It works by destroying any cancer cells that might be left behind after the operation. This is called adjuvant chemotherapy.鈥�

Palliative chemotherapy:听

Unfortunately, in some cases when the cancer cannot be cured or has spread to other parts of the body, treatment is then focused on shrinking the tumour/s and relieving symptoms rather than curing the cancer. This is called palliative chemotherapy.鈥�

For more information on chemotherapy for stomach cancer, visit:听

For information on the different medications used to treat stomach cancer, visit Macmillan Cancer Support鈥檚 website where you will be able to find information on the medication you have been prescribed via their 鈥楢 to Z list of cancer drugs鈥�, which is available here:

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What if I am unwell after receiving cancer treatment?

If you are an existing patient receiving chemotherapy treatment and you have a temperature, feel unwell, or need advice on chemotherapy side effects or complications 鈥� please contact the 24-hour hotline on鈥�01722 341930.听

Please visit the Acute Oncology section, for more information: Acute Oncology

Radiotherapy:

Radiotherapy is not a common form of treatment for stomach cancer, but you may be given it is if the cancer is more advanced, radiotherapy may be given on its own to shrink the tumour and help control symptoms.鈥�听

We are unable to offer radiotherapy in 台湾swag, so patients will need to go to University Hospital Southampton for radiotherapy treatment.听

Chemoradiation:

If it is an early tumour, radiotherapy may be used alongside surgery or as an alternative to surgery, depending on the patient鈥檚 general health and their specific diagnosis.听听

Radiotherapy may be given with chemotherapy after surgery to try to reduce the cancer from coming back 鈥� this is known as chemoradiation.听听

Palliative radiotherapy:

Unfortunately, in some cases the cancer cannot be cured so treatment is then focused on relieving symptoms rather than treatment such as bleeding from the stomach. This is known as palliative radiotherapy which aims at treating the symptoms rather than the cancer.听听

For more information on radiotherapy for stomach cancer, visit:听听

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Targeted therapies:

Targeted therapies (sometimes known as biological therapies) are drugs that mimic substances that occur naturally in the body to destroy cancer cells. They work by changing the way that cells interact with, or signal to each other.鈥�听

Trastuzumab (Herceptin庐) is a type of targeted therapy called a monoclonal antibody. It works by attaching to a receptor called HER2 (a hormone receptor) on the surface of certain cancer cells. This stops the cancer cells dividing and growing.鈥�听

Herceptin is mainly used to treat breast cancer. You might have it with chemotherapy with advanced stomach cancer if you have not had any other treatment for advanced cancer or if your cancer is HER2 positive.听

Other targeted therapy drugs may also be used to treat stomach cancer.鈥�听

You may also have Pembrolizumab which is used for advanced stomach cancer. This is used for people whose cancer have had gene changes or if the advanced stomach cancer has started to grow after one treatment.听

For more information on all targeted therapies for stomach cancer, visit:听听

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For information on the different medications used to treat breast cancer, visit Macmillan Cancer Support鈥檚 website where you will be able to find information on the medication you have been prescribed via their 鈥楢 to Z list of cancer drugs鈥�, which is available here: 听

Stomach stent:

If your cancer is in the lower part of your stomach, it can partially or block it completely. This may stop food being directed to your digestive system and you may be given a stent to help relive the blockage.听

Laser therapy:

Laser therapy treats advanced cancer by removing cancer cells by laser. This can help reduce pain and sickness. It is mainly used for oesophageal cancers but can be given in some situations for stomach cancer.听

台湾swag