Good day,

My mother was just diagnosed with cancer. A couple months ago, she began vomitting often and went in for a round of testing. A biopsy of a large mass on her stomach came back as inconclusive. Another test, an ultrasound guided biopsy was completed, and it too was inconclusive.

She was admitted to the hospital this afternoon because she cannot keep anything down and has become very weak. My Dad just called me and said that an Onocologist confirmed it was cancer.

I have a few questions that I'm hoping to get help with - I don't know the specific kind of cancer she has, my Dad didn't know.

My first question deals with daignosis. How can a pathology read inconclusive, then a week later, an onocologist makes the diagnosis as cancer without further testing? That is very confusing to me.

Second, could someone kindly provide me with a good informational resource for gastric cancers?

I'm incredibly scared right now. My Mom has a history of digestive problems, but up until recently, we knew nothing of the stomach issue.

Thanks.

Sorry to hear about your mother. The most common type of stomach cancer is called adenocarcinoma. A gastrectomy (removal of the stomach) is the only curative measure. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy given after surgery improve the chance of a cure. Tumors in the lower stomach are more often cured than those in the higher area. The depth to which the tumor invades the stomach wall and whether lymph nodes are involved influence the chances of cure. Hopefully it has not spread. We can not post websites but I would google stomach cancer. You should come up with some helpful information.