Surgery for stomach cancer and GISTs

At HCA UK, we aim to provide cancer surgery as soon as possible. We invest in the most advanced technology so you have access to the latest surgical methods. The type of surgery you need depends on where the cancer is in your stomach.

It may involve removing:

• some of the stomach (subtotal gastrectomy) or all of it (gastrectomy)
• the lining of your stomach, known as endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR), for very early stage cancers
• lymph nodes around your stomach from the blood vessels to the stomach

If you have GISTs, the tumour will be removed, along with some surrounding healthy tissue. Other organs may be removed if the tumour has spread.

Surgery for stomach cancer may involve:

• open surgery through an incision in your stomach - the most common treatment for stomach cancer
• laparoscopic or keyhole surgery through several small incisions in your stomach.

The surgery is done while you’re asleep under general anaesthetic and you’ll need to avoid food and drink for a few hours before your surgery. No two treatment plans are the same. We take a patient-focused approach to determine what treatment is best. Our skilled multidisciplinary team is on hand to help you make important decisions, so you get the right treatment.

You’ll probably feel drowsy when you wake up and you may have several tubes in your body. These can be uncomfortable, but nurses will be on hand to offer pain relief.

It’s important to eat small, regular amounts after surgery. Your consultant will provide advice about this. If you had keyhole surgery the cuts are smaller, so your recovery is likely to be quicker than with open surgery, which is a more complex operation.

Any scar you have will depend on the operation you had. For example, you might have one vertical scar, an upside-down V shape on your tummy or one on your chest. We’re here to answer any questions and support you through your recovery.