Oesophageal & Stomach Cancer Surgery in Sydney
As a specialist upper gastrointestinal surgeon, Dr Sergey Fedorine has extensive experience in the management of digestive system cancers.
What is oesophagogastric cancer?
Oesophagogastric cancer refers to cancer of the oesophagus or stomach.
What are the symptoms of oesophagus (oesophageal) cancer?
Early oesophageal cancer may not cause any symptoms. Often, this cancer is only diagnosed once it becomes more advanced. Symptoms of oesophageal cancer are common to many other conditions, and may include:
- Difficulty in swallowing.
- Severe weight loss.
- Hoarseness.
- Chest pain and/or heartburn.
- Vomiting (vomit may contain saliva or blood).
What are the symptoms of stomach cancer?
In its early stages, stomach cancer may not cause any symptoms. Once it becomes more advanced, symptoms of stomach cancer could include:
- Abdominal pain and/or bloating.
- Loss of appetite.
- Feeling full after eating very little (early satiety).
- Weight loss.
- Persistent nausea and/or vomiting (vomit may be blood-stained).
- Black, tarry stools which contain partly digested blood (melaena).
- Unexplained fatigue, due to low red blood cell count (anaemia).
- Swelling of the abdomen, due to abnormal fluid (ascites).
If you have any of these symptoms, it is important that you seek medical attention.
How is oesophageal or stomach cancer diagnosed?
The most common test used to diagnose oesophageal or stomach cancer is a gastroscopy (link to “Gastroscopy”). During a gastroscopy, the specialist is able to visualise any abnormal tissue in your oesophagus or stomach, and take small tissue samples (biopsies) for laboratory analysis.
Other investigations, such as a CT scan and PET scan, may be required to assess the size and spread of the cancer.
What is the treatment for oesophageal or stomach cancer?
Treatment of oesophageal or stomach cancer depends on the type of cancer, how far it has spread, and your general health. Early stage oesophageal or stomach cancer may be treated with surgery alone, while more advanced disease usually requires chemo- and/ or radiotherapy.
Cancer surgery aims to remove all of the cancer, while preserving as much normal tissue as possible. It is necessary to remove a margin of apparently healthy tissue along with the cancer, to prevent the cancer from recurring.
Surgery for oesophageal cancer requires removal of part or all of the oesophagus (oesophagectomy) and the surrounding lymph nodes. During surgery, the stomach is lifted up and attached to the healthy oesophagus tissue that remains. If this is not possible, a piece of intestinal tissue may be used to replace the oesophagus, to allow for eating and swallowing after the surgery.
Surgery for stomach cancer requires removal of part or all of the stomach, along with surrounding lymph nodes. If the whole stomach has to be removed, the oesophagus is reconnected to the small intestine. After this surgery, you would be able to eat, but will require multiple small meals a day.
What is a GIST tumour?
A GIST (Gastro-intestinal stromal tumour) is an uncommon type of cancer that starts in the digestive tract. GISTs start in specialised nerve cells that are found in the walls of your digestive system. GISTs are different to other common types of cancer, and their treatment is not the same. Some GISTs are slow-growing, but others may metastasize (spread to other parts of the body).
In some cases, small GIST tumours that are not causing symptoms, may be managed by careful monitoring only. However, in most cases, GISTs are removed surgically. If surgery is not possible, GISTs may be treated with targeted drug therapy, radiation or chemotherapy.
How do I organise the cancer treatment that I need?
At Sydney Surgical Clinic, we understand that a cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming.
Each cancer case seen at Sydney Surgical clinic is managed by a multi-disciplinary team that includes surgeons, medical oncologists and radiation oncologists, and our team will organise all of the arrangements for your treatment. All investigations will be expedited through our radiology partners and interventional gastroenterologists. Your surgery will be done at Liverpool or Campbelltown Hospital, and if chemo- and/or radiotherapy is required, we will organise this at Liverpool or Campbelltown’s Cancer Clinic.
Dr Fedorine and the team at Sydney Surgical Clinic are committed to supporting you during this difficult season and ensuring the best possible outcome for your cancer treatment.
