TriangleFOR PATIENTS · SOURCE READING
Chemotherapy
Source: Stomach Cancer Treatment, National Cancer Institute.
Source updated: April 10, 2025 · Captured 2026-09-09.
Selected source text with whitespace normalised. This Triangle page is not an NCI PDQ summary. Independent clinical review is pending.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy (also called chemo) uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing.
Chemotherapy for stomach cancer is usually systemic, meaning it is injected into a vein or given by mouth. When given this way, the drugs enter the bloodstream to reach cancer cells throughout the body.
Source links and citations
Chemotherapy drugs used to treat stomach cancer include:
capecitabine
Source links and citations
cisplatin
Source links and citations
docetaxel
Source links and citations
doxorubicin
Source links and citations
epirubicin
Source links and citations
fluorouracil (5-FU)
Source links and citations
irinotecan
Source links and citations
leucovorin
Source links and citations
oxaliplatin
Source links and citations
paclitaxel
Source links and citations
trifluridine and tipiracil
Source links and citations
To learn more about how chemotherapy works, how it is given, common side effects, and more, visit Chemotherapy to Treat Cancer and Chemotherapy and You: Support for People With Cancer.
Source links and citations
Preserved source evidence · Independent clinical review pending · Not medical advice