What is gastric cancer surgery?
Gastric cancer surgery is part of the treatment of stomach cancer. It can be used in different stages of the disease, especially in the initial stages which would be I, II and III in which the patient is healthy enough to try to cure the cancer by surgery.
It is usually used together with other techniques in order to attack the root of the disease; a multidisciplinary team is required: oncologists, radiation oncologists, pathologists, radiologists, surgeons and gastroenterologists participate.
Even so, gastric surgery is not always the definitive solution to cure the disease, but it can also be used to reduce the symptoms and damage it causes in the organism.
What does gastric cancer surgery consist of?
This surgery consists of removing the cancer, the nearby lymph nodes and part of the stomach, always depending on the severity of the disease and trying to leave the stomach as normal as possible. Therefore, the diagnosis will be key to determine the type of treatment to be performed. This can range from removal of the tumor to complete removal of the stomach.
There is also palliative surgery, which consists of alleviating and preventing the symptoms of the cancer, since it cannot cure it due to its advanced stage. This surgery prevents the tumor from bleeding and avoids blockage of the stomach.
Types of surgery
Endoscopic resection
Endoscopic mucosal resection and endoscopic submucosal resection can only be performed to treat some cancers in very early stages. This surgery consists of making a cut and through an endoscope and removing the tumor.
Subtotal (partial) gastrectomy
This operation is recommended if the cancer is only in the lower section of the stomach. It involves removing part of the stomach and sometimes part of the esophagus or small intestine is also removed.
Total gastrectomy
Total gastrectomy is performed when the cancer is very advanced and has spread throughout the stomach. It involves removing the entire stomach, nearby lymph nodes and the omentum; sometimes other nearby organs may need to be removed.
Palliative surgery for unresectable cancer
For people with unresectable stomach cancer, surgery is used to help control the cancer or relieve symptoms. It can prevent bleeding, pain or obstruction of the stomach from the tumor. It is important to note that the goal of this surgery is not to cure the cancer, but to help the patient live a dignified life.
Preparation for surgery
The patient should be admitted to the hospital the day before the surgery. Once the patient’s medical history and blood reserve have been checked, the patient will have to fast for 8 hours before the surgery.
What is the post-operative period like?
In the postoperative period, the patient must remain between 24-48 hours in the resuscitation unit with a urinary catheter. Once on the ward, depending on the type of surgery the patient has undergone, specific care will be required.
The most frequent complications are:
- Wound infection.
- Central line catheter infection.
- Urinary tract infection.
- Hemorrhage.
- Anastomotic suture dehiscence.