Surgery
Surgery is an effective way to treat cancer. Surgery is an invasive process used for the removal of cancerous cells. The aim of surgery varies from person to person. Sometimes, when the cancer has spread throughout the stomach, surgeries are not the best way to remove the cancer but can be performed only for relieving pain and for betterment of stomach functioning.
- Cancer eradication:
Surgeries after the early diagnosis of cancer are easy to perform and best result of cancer removal can be achieved. The tumor and nearby tissue can be removed with the help of an endoscope before the cancer invade the other adjacent areas.
- Partial gastrectomy:
This type of surgery is used for either the removal of the upper part of the stomach or the lower part of the stomach to prevent the spreading of cancer. Efforts are made to leave as much normal area behind as possible. The rest of the stomach is reattached with the other parts.
- Entire stomach removal:
This operation is performed due to the wide spread of stomach, and cancer invasion in the nearby areas which include some part of esophagus, lymph nodes, intestines and pancreas etc. The rest of the esophagus is then connected to the small intestine. Since the stomach is removed, there is no food storage site, that is why people are directed to consume very less amount of food.
Despite the effectiveness of surgery, it does have certain side effects:
- Pain
- Infection
- Swelling
- Diarrhea