Stomach Cancer? 3rd stage????

Question

what is the survival rate of a person with stomach cancer in it's 3rd stage? how likely is it for them to survive, & if they have no chance, then how fast do you think they will lose the battle?

Answer 1

Prognosis and statistics are meaningless for individual patients. There are far too many factors involved which is why it is wrong to try and make predictions. I have known at least a hundred patients with abdominal cancers . . usually stage IV . .and there are survivors with no evidence of disease   . . some are at the ten year mark. Many were told that they were terminal . .they had doctors who basically gave up on them because they  thought they were a 'lost cause' . . most of these patients just moved on and found a new doctor willing to treat them. . patients who were told they were inoperable found surgeons with skill enough to go ahead and operate . .  no one should pay attention to 'prognosis' . . because there are newer medications and treatments becoming available all the time. The best thing that an advanced stage patient can do is find a large comprehensive cancer center that treats that type of cancer in large volumes. These are the centers where the newer treatments are being used or tested.

NCI: Cancer Centers

http://cancercenters.cancer.gov/cancer_c...

Other ways to gather information is from patients who are going through a similar situation . . seek out online support groups for this type of cancer and ask questions from other patients. Their experience is invaluable, they can usually point you to a cancer center or doctor or surgeon who specializes in your type and stage of cancer.

ACOR: The Stomach Cancer Online Support Group

http://listserv.acor.org/archives/stomac...

There is always hope . . do not listen to the 'terminators' . . . . maintain hope always . . do the research . .talk to doctors . .call . . send out records and CT . . seek out new and innovative treatments. It can be done, but you need to be your own advocate.

Best to you.

Answer 2

According to the American Cancer Society, the five year survival rate for stomach cancer stage III-A is 17%.  The five year survival rate for stomach cancer stage III-B is 12%.  So the prognosis is not good, though remember the outlook for any individual person can't be predicted with certainty -- these are just averages.