﻿ Stomach Cancer Symptoms, Causes, Treatment - Radiation therapy - MedicineNet

Stomach Cancer (cont.)

Radiation therapy

Radiation therapy (also called radiotherapy) uses high-energy rays to kill cancer cells. It affects cells only in the part of the body that is treated. Radiation therapy is usually given with chemotherapy to treat stomach cancer.

The radiation comes from a large machine outside the body. You'll go to a hospital or clinic for treatment. Treatments are usually 5 days a week for several weeks.

Side effects depend mainly on the dose and type of radiation. External radiation therapy to the chest and abdomen may cause a sore throat, pain similar to heartburn, or pain in the stomach or the intestine. You may have nausea and diarrhea. Your health care team can give you medicines to prevent or control these problems.





  • Why do I need this treatment?
  • When will the treatments begin?
  • When will they end?
  • How will I feel during treatment?
  • How will we know if the radiation treatment is working?
  • Will I have any long-term side effects?

How do I go about getting a second opinion?





Also, you can request a consultation with specialists at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Specialists in the NCI Surgery Branch provide consultations and surgical care for people with stomach cancer. The telephone number is 301-496-4164. The Web site is located at http://ccr.cancer.gov/labs/lab.asp?labid=93.

The NCI Cancer Information Service at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237) or at LiveHelp (http://www.cancer.gov/help) can tell you about nearby treatment centers.

Medically Reviewed by a Doctor on 3/28/2014

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