Stomach Cancer Treatment

Stomach cancer is a malignant tumor arising from the epithelium of the mucous membrane covering the inside of the stomach wall. The treatment of gastric cancer in Israel in the Oncology department of Herzliya Medical Center Private Hospital includes a set of measures: surgery, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy. It is important to emphasize that the high mortality rate of stomach cancer is primarily caused by the late diagnosis of the disease. When the diagnosis of gastric cancer occurs at an early stage and appropriate treatment is applied, the prognosis is more favorable.

Symptoms of stomach cancer

The tumor can be formed in any part of the stomach and subsequently spread to all its parts and to nearby organs.

The early diagnosis of gastric cancer is complicated by the lack of symptoms in the initial stages of the disease when the tumor is limited in size. The symptoms are nonspecific and their degree of severity can vary. These include:

• Weakness and fatigue
• Rapid saturation after a meal, a feeling of heaviness in the abdomen
• Constant heartburn
• Nausea, vomiting, digestive disorders not associated with the ingestion of certain foods
• Abdominal pain
• Losing weight without explicable reasons
• Bleeding
• Anemia

Stomach cancer is one of the rapidly metastasizing cancer types. The tumor may grow into the regional lymph nodes and /or adjacent organs (intestine, diaphragm, esophagus, pancreas, and spleen).

Gastric Cancer (Stomach Cancer) Diagnosis

The diagnosis of gastric cancer is done with a gastroscopy, an endoscopic examination of the upper gastrointestinal tract. Using a flexible optical device (gastroscope), the doctor directly examines the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum, and produces a biopsy – a sampling taken from the suspicious area. The resulting sample is then subjected to a histological examination for the presence of malignant cells.
To assess the state of the abdominal organs a CT scan or ultrasound is performed. Gastric cancer treatment in Israel is based on the stage of the disease at the time of the diagnostic process. Additional checks are carried out on the malignant process for example; a diagnostic laparoscopy – an invasive procedure, which implies the examination of the abdominal cavity using an optical instrument (laparoscope). During laparoscopy, it is possible to identify small metastases in the abdomen which is not identifiable by ultrasound and CT.

Gastric Cancer Treatment Options in Israel

The main method of treatment of gastric cancer in Israel is surgery; that is a partial or total gastrectomy. During the operation, a gastric resection (partial or radical) is produced and if necessary, removal of some parts of the esophagus and lymph nodes if cancerous cells are found. The remaining segment of the esophagus is connected to the small intestine, restoring patency of the digestive tract. If a malignant process involves adjacent organs – spleen, intestines, pancreas, liver, resection is performed.

Before surgery, the patient may be given chemo or radiotherapy; these measures lead to a reduction of the tumor, which facilitates surgical removal.
Most patients after gastrostomy receive adjuvant (additional) chemotherapy for the destruction of residual cancer cells. In recent years, a number of scientific studies have proven the increase in the effectiveness of chemotherapy, when combined with radiotherapy. Chemotherapy may also be used as a palliative treatment for alleviating gastric cancer symptoms (e.g., for the prevention of gastric bleeding).

In the treatment of cancer in Israel, targeted therapy is also applied. Targeted drugs have the ability to detect cancerous cells selectively and act on them, causing the cessation of tumor growth.

At Herzliya Medical Center Private Hospital, in the case of patients with cancers of the stomach characterized by overexpression of the receptor HER2, targeted therapy (Herceptin) is applied. It has been proved that this method significantly increases the life expectancy of patients with gastric cancer.

Gastric Cancer price at Herzliya Medical Center Private Hospital is within reasonable cost limits. Our Medical Consultants provide medical tourists with all the information necessary.