Surgery to relieve symptoms of stomach cancer

This page is about surgery to relieve symptoms caused by stomach cancer. There is information on

A quick guide to what's on this page
Why you might need surgery to relieve symptoms
Relieving a blocked stomach
Discussing your options with your doctor

Surgery to relieve symptoms of stomach cancer

Even if your cancer cannot be cured, you may need surgery to relieve symptoms from a blocked or partly blocked stomach.

Sometimes stomach cancer can grow so that it blocks, or partly blocks, the passage of food through your digestive system. This can make you feel full after eating only small amounts. It can also cause pain, sickness, vomiting and constipation. To relieve these symptoms, or stop them getting worse, you may be offered an operation to remove part or all of your stomach to relieve the blockage.

Another type of surgery that is sometimes used is called a bypass. It involves attaching part of the stomach above the blockage directly to the first part of the small bowel. The food can then move through the digestive system to the bowel.

All these operations are long and complicated. It is important that you know all the options for treatment and your doctor will discuss these with you. Don't be afraid to ask any questions you may have. It often helps to write down a list of questions that you want to ask.

CR PDF Icon You can view and print the quick guides for all the pages in the Treating stomach cancer section.

Even if your cancer is advanced and can't be cured, you may need surgery to relieve symptoms from a blocked or partly blocked stomach. This is called 'palliative surgery'. The operation your surgeon offers to do will vary depending on

The size of your cancer
Where the cancer is
Your general health and fitness
Your symptoms

Sometimes stomach cancer can grow so that it blocks, or partly blocks, the passage of food through your digestive system. This can cause

Feeling full after eating only small amounts
Pain
Sickness and vomiting
Constipation

To relieve these symptoms, or stop them getting worse, you may be offered an operation to remove part or all of your stomach (partial or total gastrectomy) to relieve the blockage. There is more about having this type of surgery on the page about surgery to remove stomach cancer in this section of CancerHelp UK.

If you are not well enough to have a partial or total gastrectomy you may have a bypass operation. A bypass involves attaching part of the stomach above the blockage directly to the first part of the small bowel. The food can then move through the digestive system to the bowel. The having your operation page tells you in detail what it is like to have stomach surgery.

All operations for stomach cancer are long and complicated. If your operation is to relieve symptoms, it is important that the benefit you get will be greater than the drawbacks or possible complications of having an operation. You will have to be fit enough for the operation and anaesthetic.

It is important that you know all your options for treatment and your doctor will discuss them with you. You may want to talk over the possibility of having an operation with your close family and friends as well as your doctor and nurse. No one can say how much you will benefit from the operation. But your surgeon will have weighed up the possible benefits and risks before suggesting the surgery and will be able to talk these through with you. There is information about relieving the symptoms of advanced stomach cancer in the treating stomach cancer section of CancerHelp UK.