Stomach cancer is an aggressive malignant tumor that is often diagnosed at an advanced stage. Even in such a case, you should not give up, since the disease can be successfully dealt with by means of modern medicine. You can undergo your stomach cancer stage 4 treatment abroad and expect good results.

Treatment principles for stage 4 stomach cancer

At stage 4 cancer, radical (potentially curative) surgery is usually not performed. The disease has spread throughout the body, and it is unlikely to be completely cured. However, the pathology can be controlled for a very long time using the modern possibilities of drug therapy and radiation therapy.

Stomach cancer treatment involves the use of both local and systemic methods. Doctors use radiation therapy, intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC), gastric artery embolization, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, and palliative surgery, as well as other procedures, to treat cancer complications, reduce symptoms, and improve a person’s quality of life.

Systemic treatment

Systemic therapy for stage 4 stomach cancer is considered the main treatment. Since the tumor has already spread throughout the body, therapeutic methods that inhibit the growth of neoplasms, regardless of their number and location, are required.

Chemotherapy is an effective treatment for advanced stages of stomach cancer, increasing the life expectancy of patients. A combination of 2 drugs is usually given to reduce side effects. A combination of 3 drugs is prescribed for patients who can tolerate more intensive treatment.

Targeted therapy is another treatment option. Many stomach tumors are HER2 positive. They are treated with HER2 inhibitors. If they do not work, doctors abroad use the latest drugs for targeted therapy, such as antibody-drug conjugates. These are antibodies that target molecular targets in cancer cells that carry chemotherapy agents and deliver them directly to the tumor. VEGF inhibitors can also be used to treat metastatic stomach cancer. These are monoclonal antibodies that block proteins responsible for the formation of new blood vessels. In a small number of patients, TRK inhibitors can be used. These inhibitors are prescribed in the presence of mutations in the NTRK gene.

Immunotherapy is carried out with immune checkpoint inhibitors. They target the PD-1 molecule, and the principle of action of such drugs is based on reducing the ability of the tumor to evade attacks by the patient’s immune system. Doctors in developed countries treat advanced stomach cancer using two drugs from this group. One of them is prescribed as a first-line drug along with chemotherapy, and another one is used in patients with a high level of microsatellite instability (MSI-H), as part of a second-line therapeutic regimen.

You are welcome to use the Booking Health service to undergo your diagnostics and treatment for stage 4 stomach cancer in Germany or other developed countries. On our website, you can find out prices, compare the cost of medical services at different clinics, and choose the most suitable option. The specialists at the Booking Health company will help you choose the most suitable clinics in Germany, make an appointment on your preferred dates, book hotel and airline tickets, help you prepare documents for traveling abroad, and translate your medical records into German. We will meet you at the German airport, take you to a hotel or a hospital, and provide support throughout your stay in another country.