A person with stomach cancer and their family need information on the disease and its treatment as well as help in organizing doctor visits, choosing from treatment options, dealing with everyday matters, and much more. The family members of a person with stomach cancer experience great emotional stress and therefore need to be as well informed as possible about the disease and its treatment in order to be able to cope with all of the challenges facing them during the treatment process and to be able to deal with the many changes that occur in their lives as a result of the disease.
Of course, supporting someone with stomach cancer includes more than going to the doctor with them and filling up their prescription. We also need to understand their needs and respect their choices. We need to create a safe, non-threatening environment to discuss all their concerns throughout their treatment.
Understanding the Diagnosis and Treatment Options
Stomach cancer, also known as gastric cancer, is a disease in which abnormal cells in the stomach lining grow as a cancer. The decision on what treatment is best for a stomach cancer patient depends on several factors, including the stage of the cancer, where the cancer is located, the patient’s overall health, and other characteristics of the growth.
In some cases, patients with early-stage stomach cancer may be treated with surgery. For more advanced cancer, the goal of treatment is to control the growth of the cancer and to control any symptoms the cancer may be producing. This can be done with chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy, or even immunotherapy.
Family members can support their loved ones by understanding the appropriate her2 positive stomach cancer treatment plan recommended by healthcare professionals. That means learning about the treatment before the session with the doctor and coming up with questions and discussing them with the oncologist to understand the treatment fully. Each patient’s circumstances will vary greatly, even in seemingly similar circumstances. Thus, families and friends should be wary of comparison to others with similar circumstances. Moreover, treatment options are subject to change as the doctor receives results of subsequent tests to evaluate the effects of cancer treatment.
Why Tumor Testing Matters
Many of the recent developments in cancer research focus on tumor testing to determine the best treatment for patients with stomach cancer. Important biomarkers identified through tumor tissue testing may help guide treatment decisions for patients with stomach cancer.
There are different proteins that are involved in cell growth. Some gastric cancers are known as HER2 positive. This means that the cancer cells have an excessive amount of HER2 protein on their surface. For people living with HER2-positive stomach cancer, treatment options may include HER2-targeted therapies. These are special medicines that can be used to treat stomach cancer and are usually given in combination with chemotherapy.
Most importantly, Families and caregivers should understand that the choice of treatment for HER2-positive stomach cancer is based on a variety of factors, including the results of the tumor testing, the stage of cancer, previous treatment(s), and the patient’s overall health.
There are several biomarkers that can be tested and be used to decide on treatment for gastric cancer patients. These can include PD-L1 expression and tests to see if the cancer cells have mutations in DNA repair genes (mismatch repair genes), which results in cells having increased levels of microsatellite repeats (microsatellite instability). Families researching HER2-positive stomach cancer treatment should understand the importance of tumor testing and discussing the available treatment options with the patient’s healthcare team.
Helping Manage Treatment Side Effects
Common cancer treatment side effects affect the way patients can spend time doing daily activities, including how they can eat and what time of day they have energy for. Many cancer patients deal with nausea, loss of appetite, feeling tired, having bowel movements and trying to get enough nutrients to support their overall health during their cancer journey.
Supporting the patient in such ways as cooking simple meals, managing household issues, making transport arrangements, and keeping a record of their symptoms are all things that family and friends can do to help in coping with the side effects of the patient’s treatment. Eating small, frequent meals may be easier than having large, complicated meals and the patient’s dietary needs and restrictions must be heeded by all who are planning and cooking for them.
It is also helpful to record symptoms and the date and time of taking medicines, as well as any other relevant information such as food intake, and to write down any questions that have arisen previously. Patients should contact their medical team if they experience persistent vomiting, difficulty swallowing, dehydration, increasing pain, or difficulty eating and drinking. In serious cases, such as vomiting blood or passing black, tarry stools, patients must seek immediate medical attention.
These will also interact with your cancer treatment and have the potential to cause serious harm. Be very cautious of healthy foods that are marketed as products intended to support cancer prevention, as many of these products contain interacting chemicals.
Providing Emotional Support Without Taking Away Independence
People with cancer often express fears and uncertainty as they come to terms with their diagnosis and try to plan for treatment. Some patients worry about their finances or how cancer will affect them and their loved ones. As the disease and treatment affect daily life, patients may express feelings of frustration and sadness.
At times it is enough to be present for the person with cancer. He or she needs someone to listen to him or her. Families do not have to have all the answers and can continue to be optimistically positive without having to have solutions to all the cancer concerns or worries of the person with cancer. In fact, simply acknowledging the negative emotions expressed by the person with cancer is sometimes sufficient to make him or her feel better and less isolated.
Allow the person to have control and to do as much as they can in their life. Help them in the way that they need but remember that every person is different and needs to be treated individually. When required, refer the patient and/or family to an oncology counselor or psychologist. Support groups for cancer patients, family and/or caregivers are also available and may be needed for extended periods. The same approach applies to the caregivers.
Organizing Appointments and Planning Ahead
Several specialists, including oncologists, surgeons, and radiation therapists, will be treating your loved one for stomach cancer. Lab work, various types of imaging studies, and different types of treatment may be needed. All this information should be kept in a handy notebook that is shared with all family members.
Shared family calendars to remember treatment dates and appointments can be very helpful. Also useful are lists of questions and points to discuss before going to a hospital appointment and records of all information and instructions given by health care professionals and their teams. Family members may also be present and take notes at appointments with patients, provided they have the patient’s consent to do so.
Transportation to and from treatments and appointments as well as insurance and the means to pay for prescribed medications all should be discussed and made prior to the patient’s treatment entering the demanding phase. Helping with work and household duties also would be helpful to the patient.
Building a Supportive Care Environment
Supporting a loved one with stomach cancer requires much patience, flexibility, and information to deal with complex processes step by step. Families do not have to understand everything from the beginning on. They should ask questions to get more information, communicate openly and sensitively with patients as well as with the doctors and nurses looking after them and be flexible and responsive in their support of patients.
Everyone is different and needs different types of support. Supporting your loved one through their treatment and making sure they can live with dignity while remaining independent is key to ensuring their comfort throughout the treatment process.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is intended for educational purposes only and should not be interpreted as medical advice, a clinical guideline, or a recommendation for any specific treatment.
