Endoscopic resection for Stomach Cancer
Endoscopic resection for Stomach Cancer can be used to treat some very early stage cancers.
Some facts about Endoscopic resection for Stomach Cancer:
- Endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) and endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) are two types of procedure that can be done or stomach cancer.
- These are the option when the tumor is not thought to have grown deeply into the stomach wall and the chance of spread outside the stomach is very low.
Preparation for Endoscopic resection for Stomach Cancer:
- Medical history of the patient will be taken by asking questions about current symptoms, past medical history, medications, allergies, the patient's social history, and the family's medical history
- Medications containing aspirin or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) should be stopped before and after surgery as these medications may increase bleeding.
- Smoking should be stopped as smoking can increase your risk of having problems during and after surgery and also can slow the healing process.
- You should not eat or drink anything after midnight, the night before surgery.
Procedure for Endoscopic resection for Stomach Cancer:
- A cut or an incision is not required in the skin in this procedure.
- An endoscope which is a long, flexible tube with a small video camera on the end will be passed down the throat and into the stomach by the surgeon.
- The tumor and some layers of the normal stomach wall below and around it will be removed by passing surgical tools through the endoscope.
- Normally, ESD goes deeper into the stomach wall than EMR.
- Surgery for stomach cancer is complex and can have complications including bleeding from the surgery, blood clots, and damage to nearby organs during the operation. All of these can be avoided by Endoscopic resection.
- A tube is sometimes placed into the intestine, either at the time of the surgery or afterward for people who have trouble taking in enough nutrition after surgery for stomach cancer.
- The other end of this tube remains outside of the skin on the abdomen. It is also called as a jejunostomy tube or J tube.
- Nutrition in liquid form can be put directly through this tube into the intestine to help prevent or treat malnutrition
- People who have had a subtotal or total gastrectomy might develop vitamin deficiencies as the stomach helps the body absorb some vitamins.
- Vitamin supplements will be prescribed if certain parts of the stomach are removed. Some of these can only be injected.
- An upper endoscopy procedures can be done to help prevent or relieve symptoms, without the need for more extensive surgery in some situations.
- An endoscope with a laser on the end can be used to vaporize parts of the tumor during Endoscopic tumor ablation.
- The procedure of Endoscopic tumor ablation is suitable for people who are not healthy enough for surgery. Bleeding can be stopped or a blockage can be relieved without surgery.
- An endoscope can also be used to place a stent (a hollow metal tube) into the opening to keep a tumor from blocking the opening at the beginning or end of the stomach which helps keep it open and allows food to pass through it.
- T helps keep it open and allows food to pass through it for tumors in the upper (proximal) stomach.
- The stent is placed at the junction of the stomach and the small intestine for tumors in the lower (distal) part of the stomach.
