Standard Treatment Therapy is similar to that for Stage I. Treatments being studied include neoadjuvant chemotherapy to shrink tumors and improve the ability to treat them with surgery or radiotherapy . Such neoadjuvant chemotherapy protocols are in common use because of the low survival rate.
Five-Year Survival 50 to 60 percent
Stage III
Standard Treatment Treatment is complex. Extensive surgery is done, which requires reconstructive procedures using portions of the stomach or small bowel. Radiotherapy is given postoperatively. Surgical and radiotherapy methods and programs, as well as the time schedules involved, vary among treatment centers but give similar results. Patients should be managed by surgeons and radiation oncologists experienced in these complex procedures and treatments.
Patients should be considered for clinical trials evaluating adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
