Stomach Cancer
Call for an AppointmentDuke’s stomach cancer specialists use the latest medical and surgical advances to find and treat stomach cancer, also known as gastric cancer, at the earliest possible stage. We give you personalized care designed to treat your stomach cancer aggressively and thoroughly, while also affording you the best possible quality of life and health.
Duke Health offers locations throughout the Triangle. Find one near you.
Tests
Blood and Stool Tests
These tests look for the presence of substances that may indicate cancer.
Biopsy
A tissue sample is taken, often through an endoscope -- a small tube with a camera -- that is inserted through the nose, mouth, or stomach. This tissue is examined under a microscope for the presence of cancer.
Advanced Imaging
X-rays, endoscopic ultrasound, CT, MRI, and PET may be used to diagnose your tumor, determine if it has spread, and evaluate your response to treatments.
Why Choose Duke
Nationally Ranked Cancer Program
As a National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, we are recognized for exploring new treatment opportunities through ongoing research and clinical trials. We are also part of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, an alliance of the nation’s leading cancer centers dedicated to improving care for our patients.
Pre-Surgical Treatments
We use chemotherapy and radiation therapy before surgery to shrink stomach cancer tumors. Our approach has proven to reduce complications and improve outcomes.
Targeted Therapies
We use drugs that block the growth and spread of cancer for your specific type of stomach cancer. Targeted therapies are often combined with chemotherapy. If you have advanced stomach cancer, this approach may extend your life.
Access to Clinical Trials
You may be eligible to participate in our clinical trials, which can give you access to new anti-cancer targeted therapies, new approaches to surgery, and new ways to minimize cancer-related symptoms -- before they become widely available.
More Minimally Invasive Options
We perform many stomach surgeries with a laparoscope, which is inserted through small incisions. This less invasive method is used to identify and sometimes remove cancer. As a result, you’ll likely have less pain and scarring, lower risk of infection, a shorter hospital stay and quicker recovery.
A Team of Specialists
Our specialists -- medical, radiation, and surgical oncologists; gastroenterologists; radiologists; pathologists; geneticists; specially trained nurses; nutritionists; and social workers -- meet regularly to discuss your care. We work together to offer you coordinated and advanced surgical, medical, and follow-up care.
Support for You and Your Family
Our comprehensive support services range from helping patients minimize the side effects of cancer treatment to coping with the emotional and psychological effects of diagnosis and treatment. View all of our cancer support groups in our event calendar.
Comforting Environment
Our Duke Cancer Center features spacious waiting areas, a Quiet Room, large infusion rooms, and a rooftop garden area where patients -- if their treatment regimen permits -- can receive chemotherapy outdoors.
Where you receive your cancer care is important. Duke University Hospital is proud of our team and the exceptional care they provide. They are why our cancer program is nationally ranked, and the highest ranked program in North Carolina, according to U.S. News & World Report for 2020–2021.