Stomach cancer

This is probably the most challenging aspect. Early symptoms are vague and often dismissed. Common early complaints include:

• Persistent indigestion that does not settle with routine medication
• Feeling unusually full after eating small portions
• Bloating, especially after meals
• Mild nausea, occasionally vomiting
• Loss of appetite

Many patients self-medicate for weeks, sometimes months. By the time they come in, symptoms may have evolved.

Later signs may include:

• Unintentional weight loss over 2–3 months
• Difficulty swallowing if the upper stomach is involved
• Persistent abdominal discomfort or pain
• Occasional vomiting of blood or black stools (less common, but important)

The overlap with common gastritis makes early detection tricky.

Risk Factors

When we explore history in detail, certain patterns emerge.

Key risk factors seen in practice:

• Helicobacter pylori infection, often long-standing, sometimes untreated
• A diet high in salted, smoked, or pickled foods
• Low intake of fresh fruits and vegetables
• Chronic gastritis or long-term acid reflux
• Smoking
• Obesity
• Family history in some cases

Here are some of the techniques used:

• CT scan to assess spread beyond the stomach
• Endoscopy & Biopsy
• PET-CT in selected cases
• Occasionally, a diagnostic laparoscopy is performed to check for small deposits not visible on scans

Staging is important before deciding on treatment. It tells us how deep the tumour has gone and whether lymph nodes or other organs are involved.

Treatment Options

Treatment is individualised. There is no single pathway that fits all.

Surgery remains the mainstay in many cases:

• Subtotal gastrectomy: removal of part of the stomach
• Total gastrectomy: removal of the entire stomach, usually when the tumour is central or extensive
• Nearby lymph nodes are often removed for staging and control

Early-stage options include:

• Endoscopic removal for very superficial cancers (confined to the inner lining)

Additional treatments:

• Chemotherapy - before or after surgery, depending on stage
• Radiation therapy - sometimes combined with chemotherapy
• Targeted therapy or immunotherapy in advanced disease

In most cases, a combination of various treatments is used.

Nutritional Care After Treatment

This is an area patients worry about a lot, and rightly so. After partial or total removal of the stomach, eating patterns change.

Common adjustments include:

• Smaller, more frequent meals (5-6 times a day)
• Avoiding very sugary or heavy meals initially
• Gradual reintroduction of proteins and complex carbohydrates
• Vitamin supplementation, especially B12, in some cases

Patients often experience early satiety or mild weight loss initially. Over time, most adapt, though eating habits remain different. Diet counselling is an integral part of stomach cancer treatment in Navi Mumbai.

Our team of specialists is dedicated to providing advanced stomach cancer treatment at UMC Hospitals, Navi Mumbai. At our hospital, discussions are detailed and often unhurried. We are here to provide patients and their families with empathetic and compassionate medical care. We offer:

• Careful staging before initiating treatment
• Multidisciplinary planning between gastroenterologists, surgeons, and oncologists
• Clear explanation of the surgical extent and its implications on daily life
• Integration of nutritional and supportive care early in the process

Some patients are candidates for curative treatment, particularly when detected early. Others may require a combination of therapies aimed at controlling the disease and maintaining quality of life. Consult our team of oncologists for further assistance.