Preoperative treatment in gastric cancer

Gastric cancer is one of the most common digestive cancers in the world, especially in Asia. Because early-stage symptoms are often vague, most patients are detected in the advanced stage, when the tumor has widely invaded or spread to lymph nodes. For many cases of widespread stomach cancer where immediate surgery is still possible but the prognosis for recurrence is high or for some patients immediate surgery is not feasible, the doctor may recommend preoperative treatment (treatment before surgery). The goal is to make the tumor "shrink" more, increase the possibility of radical resection and reduce the risk of early recurrence. The article below summarizes the most important things in an easy-to-understand way, helping you know when preoperative treatment is needed, how the process takes place, and what patients need to prepare for this treatment.