Cancer of the distal half of the stomach has been decreasing in the United States since the 1930s. However, in the last 2 decades, the incidence of cancer of the cardia and gastroesophageal junction has been rapidly rising. The incidence of this cancer in patients especially under 40 years of age has increased dramatically. The remaining patients present with metastatic disease in either regional or distant sites. Although the treatment of patients with disseminated gastric cancer may result in palliation of symptoms and some prolongation of survival, long remissions are uncommon.
Radical surgery represents the standard form of therapy having curative intent.
Lesser surgical procedures may also play an important role in palliative therapy for patients with gastric cancer. Hallissey MT, Dunn JA, Ward LC, et al. The diagnosis of gastric cancer. Pathologic and phenotypic features of gastric cancer. PDQ statements exist for a number of topics.