What Is Stage Four Stomach Cancer?

Stage four stomach cancer is a later stage of cancer. When a person has this stage of cancer, his prognosis isn't usually as good as it is in the earlier stages. At this point, the cancer has spread from the stomach into nearby parts of the body as well as the lymph nodes. In many cases, this stage of cancer also means the malignancy has spread to areas farther from the stomach, such as the brain or lungs. Usually, cancer is most treatable when a person is in one of the earlier stages.

Stomach cancer is typically divided into stages, with stage four being the most serious. While doctors may work to treat a stomach cancer patient in any stage of cancer, a patient’s prognosis is usually much better when cancer is diagnosed and treated in an earlier stage. Once a person has reached stage four stomach cancer, the cancer may be widespread in the body. As such, treating it and extending the patient’s life may prove considerably more difficult.

To understand stage four stomach cancer, it might help to consider the other stages as well. Stage one stomach cancer is the earliest stage of this disease and is marked by cancer that affects the lining of the inner part of a person’s stomach, and in some cases, the lymph nodes that are near the stomach. When a person has stage two cancer of the stomach, it means the cancer has affected the muscular tissue of the stomach and may affect additional lymph nodes as well.

Stage three stomach cancer might mean a couple of different things. It may, for example, mean the cancer has spread to all of the layers of the stomach or has become a widespread problem for the lymph nodes. Once a person passes stage three into stage four, the cancer has become a problem for parts of the body that are near the stomach, such as the liver or intestines, or organs and tissues that are far beyond it. For instance, a person may be diagnosed with stage four stomach cancer because the malignant cells have spread to the brain or lungs. Unfortunately, stage four stomach cancer can even go on to affect a patient’s bones.

Treatment for stomach cancer typically depends on the stage of the disease. Treatment options usually include surgery, medications, radiation, and chemotherapy. Some patients might also consider clinical trials as an option for the treatment of this type of cancer.