Chemotherapy for stomach cancer
The most tangible method of treating neoplastic diseases is considered to be a course of chemotherapy for gastric cancer after surgery.
Chemotherapy can be divided into the following areas:
- Medical supplies after surgery;
- Use of medications immediately before surgery;
- Disseminated cancer that occurs after the primary surgery and has the following consequences:
- metastases to the lungs;
- liver metastases;
- metastases in the abdominal cavity;
- bone metastases.
Treatment of stomach cancer with chemotherapy can be prescribed both as an independent method and in combination with radiotherapy or surgical treatment. Typically, medications are taken after an intervention to kill cancer cells.
In cases where radiation therapy and surgery are contraindicated for cancer patients, which happens quite rarely, the doctor may prescribe an independent course. It happens at 3 and 4 stages of cancer or with types of cancerous tumors that initially cannot be operated on.
Treatment with medications for a grade 4 disease can be independent, when no types of treatment can effectively act to reduce the size of the neoplasm.
Chemotherapy drugs for stomach cancer are administered intravenously, in stationary conditions and under medical supervision.
Content:
- Chemotherapy after surgery
- Non-adjuvant treatment
- Intraperitoneal cancer treatment
- Palliative chemotherapy
Chemotherapy after surgery
After surgery, patients undergo adjuvant treatment to destroy hidden metastases and diseased cells present in the circulatory system and bone marrow.
Often, adjuvant chemotherapy for metastatic gastric cancer is performed as a prophylaxis for recurrence of the disease.
Non-adjuvant treatment
Treatment with medication prior to surgery (nonadjuvant) aims to shrink the tumor. This method helps to remove some part of the stomach instead of cutting it off completely.
This therapy helps physicians assess the sensitivity of the neoplasm to drug-related chemicals.
Intraperitoneal cancer treatment
Such a medicinal effect on the tumor is done immediately after the surgery. Its significance is explained by the high risk of manifestation of metastatic processes after removal of the neoplasm.
Intraperitoneal chemotherapy after surgery for gastric cancer is indicated for removal of the endophytic form of the tumor, with pollative resection of some metastases in the peritoneum.
If fluid accumulates (ascites) in the abdominal cavity after surgery, this procedure is also performed.
It looks like washing the abdominal cavity after resection of neoplasms with solutions of chemical preparations. Such solutions are able to prevent the processes of metastasis of developing cancer cells.
Palliative chemotherapy
When a patient has inoperable forms of stomach tumors and metastasis has spread to distant organs, doctors prescribe palliative treatment with chemical drugs in conjunction with radiotherapy.
Palliative therapy does not cure cancer, but only prolongs the patient's life and makes his condition easier.
The author of the article: Bykov Evgeny Pavlovich | Oncologist, surgeon
Education: graduated from residency at the Russian Scientific Oncological Center. N. N. Blokhin "and received a diploma in the specialty" Oncologist"
