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Radiotherapy is most often used to relieve symptoms caused by advanced stomach cancer such as bleeding from the stomach or pain in the bones. This is called palliative treatment.
Occasionally radiotherapy is given after surgery if an operation hasn’t been able to remove all of the cancer.
Occasionally chemotherapy and radiotherapy may be given at the same time (known as chemoradiation). This combination of treatments may be used after surgery to try to reduce the risk of cancer returning.
The effectiveness of chemoradiation is still being researched, so it’s most likely to be given as part of a clinical trial. The side effects can be quite severe so this treatment isn’t right for everyone. Before offering this treatment your specialist would discuss with you the side effects as well as the possible benefits.
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