MedicineNet

home > cancer center > cancer a-z list > stomach cancer index > stomach cancer article

Stomach Cancer (cont.)

Cancer that blocks the digestive tract

People with advanced stomach cancer may develop a tumor that blocks the passage of food through the digestive tract. Your health care team may suggest one or more of the following options:

  • Stent: The doctor uses an endoscope to place a stent (a tube made of metal mesh or plastic) in your intestine. Food and liquid can pass through the center of the tube.


  • Radiation therapy: Radiation therapy may help shrink the tumor that is blocking the intestine.


  • Laser therapy: A laser is a concentrated beam of intense light that kills tissue with heat. The doctor uses an endoscope to place the laser in your digestive tract. The laser destroys the cancer cells blocking the digestive tract.

Pain

Cancer and its treatments may cause pain. Your health care team or a pain control specialist can suggest ways to relieve or reduce pain. Radiation therapy and pain medicine may help.

Follow-up care

You'll need regular checkups after treatment for stomach cancer. Checkups help ensure that any changes in your health are noted and treated if needed. If you have any health problems between checkups, you should contact your doctor.

Your doctor will check for return of the cancer. Also, checkups help detect health problems that can result from cancer treatment.

Checkups may include a physical exam, blood tests, x-rays, CT scans, endoscopy, or other tests. If you had surgery on the stomach, your doctor may order blood tests to check the levels of certain vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin B12, calcium, and iron.


Patient Comments

Viewers share their comments

Stomach Cancer - Treatment Question: What treatment did you receive for your stomach cancer?
Stomach Cancer - Surgery Question: Please describe your experience with surgery for stomach cancer.
Stomach Cancer - Diet and Nutrition Question: Have you followed any specific diet following your stomach cancer diagnosis?
Stomach Cancer - Describe Your Experience Question: Please describe your experience with stomach cancer.
Stomach Cancer - Symptoms Question: What symptoms and signs did you experience with stomach cancer?
Print
MedicineNet Doctors

Suggested Reading on Stomach Cancer by Our Doctors

  • Related Diseases & Conditions

    16 articles
    • Swollen Lymph Nodes
      • Lymph nodes help the body's immune system fight infections. Causes of swollen lymph nodes (glands) may include infection (viral, bacterial, fungal, parasites).
    • Abdominal Pain
      • Abdominal pain is pain in the belly and can be acute or chronic. Causes include inflammation, distention of an organ, and loss of the blood supply to an
    • Anemia
      • Anemia is the condition of having less than the normal number of red blood cells or less than the normal quantity of hemoglobin in the blood. The oxygen-carrying
    • Helicobacter Pylori (H pylori)
      • Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a bacterium that causes chronic inflammation (gastritis) of the inner lining of the stomach in humans. This bacteria
    • Ascites
      • Ascites, the accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity is most commonly caused by cirrhosis of the liver. Some of the other causes of ascites include
    • Pernicious Anemia
      • Pernicious anemia is a blood disorder in which the body does not make enough red blood cells due to a lack of vitamin B12 in the blood. Pernicious anemia
    • Gastritis
      • Gastritis is an inflammation of the stomach lining. Causes of gastritis include drinking too much alcohol, medications such as NSAIDs, ibuprofen, aspirin,
    • Peptic Ulcer
      • A peptic ulcer is an ulcer in the lining of the stomach, duodenum, or esophagus. Ulcer formation is related to Helicobacter pylori bacteria in the stomach,
    • Nausea and Vomiting
      • Nausea is an uneasiness of the stomach that often precedes vomiting. Nausea and vomiting are not diseases, but they are symptoms of many conditions. The
    • Cancer
      • Cancer is a disease caused by an abnormal growth of cells, also called malignancy. It is a group of 100 different diseases, and is not contagious. Cancer
    • Cancer Risk Factors
      • Though it's difficult to say why some people develop cancer while others don't, research shows that certain risk factors increase a person's odds of developing
    • Smoking (How to Quit Smoking)
      • Smoking is an addiction. More than 430,000 deaths occur each year in the U.S. from smoking related illnesses. Secondhand smoke or "passive smoke" also
    • The Digestive System
      • Digestion is the complex process of turning food you eat into the energy you need to survive. The digestive process also involves creating waste to be
    • Cancer Fatigue
      • Cancer fatigue is a lack of energy that is caused by cancer or cancer treatment, including chemotherapy, radiation, biological therapy, or bone marrow
    • Radon (A Citizen's Guide to Radon)
      • Radon is a radioactive gas that has been confirmed to cause cancers. About 21,000 individuals die each year due to radon exposure. Radon can be found in
    • Cancer Prevention
      • Certain behavioral, lifestyle, and environmental factors contribute to cancer. Cancer prevention involves modifying these factors to decrease cancer risk.

  • Medications

    1 articles

  • Procedures & Tests

    9 articles

  • Pictures, Images & Quizzes

    3 articles

  • Doctor's & Expert's Views

    3 articles

  • Health News

    7 articles

  • Health Features

    12 articles
Privacy Policy

Cancer

Get the latest treatment options.

Please acknowledge your agreement

Symptom Checker: Your Guide to Symptoms & Signs: Pinpoint Your Pain

From WebMD

Cancer Resources
Featured Centers
Health Solutions From Our Sponsors

Get the latest health and medical information delivered direct to your inbox FREE!