What is advanced stomach cancer?

Advanced stomach cancer means that a cancer that began in the stomach has spread to at least one other part of the body, such as the liver or lungs.

Unfortunately advanced cancer can’t usually be cured. But treatment might control it, help symptoms, and improve your quality of life for some time.

Sometimes cancer is advanced when it is first diagnosed. Or the cancer has come back and spread after treatment for the original cancer.

Cancers that have spread to another part of the body are called:

• secondary cancer
• metastases
• metastatic cancer

Doctors also describe how advanced stomach cancer is by using the number staging system. Advanced cancer is stage 4 in the number staging system.

Locally advanced cancer

Locally advanced cancer is cancer that has grown into the tissues around the stomach, or into nearby organs. It might be stage 3 or stage 4 in the number staging system. It is different to advanced cancer.

Where stomach cancer spreads

Stomach cancer can spread to the:

• liver
• lymph nodes
• tissue lining the abdominal cavity (peritoneum)
• lungs

How you might feel

Finding out that you can’t be cured is distressing and can be a shock. It’s common to feel uncertain and anxious. It's normal to not be able to think about anything else.

Lots of information and support is available to you, your family and friends. Some people find it helpful to find out more about their cancer and the treatments they might have. Many people find that knowing more about their situation can make it easier to cope.

Talk to your doctor or specialist nurse to understand:

• what your diagnosis means

• what is likely to happen

• what treatment is available

• how treatment can help you

• what the side effects of the treatment are

You might feel that you don’t want to know much information straight away. Tell your doctor or nurse. You will always be able to ask for more information when you are ready.

Everyone is different and there is no right way to feel.

Survival

Many people want to know what the outlook is and how their cancer will develop. This is different for each person. Your cancer specialist has all the information about you and your cancer. They're the best person to discuss this with.

You can also talk to your specialist nurse.

We have some general information about survival for stomach cancer if this is something you want to read about.