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Gastric Cancer/Stomach Cancer

CUREtology

C. Suzanne Cutter, MD

Surgical Oncology located in Los Angeles, CA

Gastric cancer isn’t terribly common, with about 26,000 cases diagnosed annually in the United States, and the numbers have steadily declined by 1.5% each year for the past 10 years. If you’re one of the few who struggles with gastric cancer, Dr. Cutter of CUREtology provides expert care of this rare disease, first removing it and then guiding you through postoperative care with health and wellness techniques to help you fight the cancer more effectively. If you are in the West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Glendale, Pasadena, or the surrounding Los Angeles, CA area and you’d like to learn more about your options with gastric cancer, call today to schedule an appointment.

What is gastric cancer?

Gastric cancer is more commonly known as stomach cancer and, as the name implies, develops in the lining of the stomach, usually in the mucus-producing cells. Most cases of gastric cancer are diagnosed in older people, with the average age hovering at about 68.

What are the signs of gastric cancer?

Gastric cancer can be a particularly tricky cancer to deal with because the symptoms often mimic other gastrointestinal conditions. For example, the most common signs of gastric cancer include:

  • Bloating
  • Indigestion
  • Heartburn
  • Nausea
  • Stomach pain
  • Vomiting
  • Loss of appetite
  • Feeling full, even when you haven’t eaten
  • Weight loss

If you’re experiencing these symptoms on a persistent basis, and conventional treatments have failed to remedy them, it’s probably time to have a specialist like Dr. Cutter take a look.

How is gastric cancer diagnosed?

Once you’ve ruled out other conditions, Dr. Cutter goes to work to see if gastric cancer is at the root of your problems. To do this, she relies on advanced diagnostic imaging, such as:

  • Endoscopy, where she inserts a tiny camera down into your stomach
  • X-rays
  • MRIs
  • CT scans

With these tools, Dr. Cutter is able to get a closer look at what’s going inside your stomach to check for any abnormalities. If she discovers cancer, these same tools prove invaluable for staging your disease, which determines your treatment.

How is gastric cancer treated?

If Dr. Cutter diagnoses or confirms gastric cancer, or another doctor makes the diagnosis and sends you to Dr. Cutter, her first step is to remove the cancer. Depending upon the stage of the cancer, Dr. Cutter may be able to remove just the tumor endoscopically, or she may have to remove all, or part, of your stomach.

During her surgery, Dr. Cutter also removes nearby lymph nodes to check for evidence of cancer cells that may have spread.

With the primary cancer removed, Dr. Cutter works with you and your medical and radiation oncologists to fully eradicate the disease. Part of Dr. Cutter’s approach is to help you postoperatively with nutrition and wellness, giving you the tools you need for a successful outcome.

For comprehensive gastric cancer, call CUREtology or use the online form to request an appointment.