Surgery is often part of the treatment for stomach cancer that has not spread. If the cancer has spread, treatment may also include chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy or radiation therapy.
Learn more about:
- Surgery for stomach cancer
- How the surgery is done
- Types of surgery
- Risks of stomach surgery
- Having a feeding tube
- What to expect after stomach surgery
Surgery for stomach cancer
Surgery aims to remove all of the stomach cancer while keeping as much of the stomach as possible. The surgeon will also remove some healthy tissue around the cancer to reduce the risk of the cancer returning. Different types of surgery can be used depending on where the cancer is in the stomach. Your surgeon will talk to you about the best way to perform surgery for you.
For more on this, see our general section on Surgery.
How the surgery is done
The surgery will be done under a general anaesthetic. There are 2 ways to perform surgery for stomach cancer:
- Open surgery (laparotomy) – The surgeon makes a long cut in the upper part of the abdomen from the breastbone to the bellybutton.
- Keyhole surgery – The surgeon makes some small cuts in the abdomen, then inserts a thin instrument with a light and camera (laparoscope) into one of the cuts. The surgeon puts tools into the other cuts and performs the surgery using the images from the camera for guidance. Also called laparoscopic or minimally invasive surgery.
Types of surgery
| Subtotal or partial gastrectomy | Only part of the stomach is removed when the cancer is in the lower part of the stomach. Nearby fatty tissue (omentum) and lymph nodes are also removed. The upper stomach and oesophagus are usually left in place. |
| Total gastrectomy | The whole stomach is removed when the cancer is in the upper or middle part of the stomach. Nearby fatty tissue (omentum), lymph nodes and parts of nearby organs, if necessary, are also removed. The surgeon rejoins the oesophagus to the small bowel. |
| Lymphadenectomy (lymph node dissection) | Lymph nodes are removed from around your stomach to reduce the risk of the cancer coming back and to help in the staging of the cancer. |
Risks of stomach surgery
Your surgeon will talk to you about the risks of surgery. These may include infection, bleeding, or leaking from the joins between the small bowel and either the oesophagus or stomach. You will be monitored for side effects. For more on this, see What to expect after surgery.
→ READ MORE: Having a feeding tube
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