Just diagnosed with metastatic stomach cancer: What happens next?

I would see an oncologist with any diagnosis that has the word cancer in it. I also wouldn't consider that something is cancer until I hear it from a top-notch oncologist.

I've had three friends told they had cancer by doctors without the education, training and experience to offer more than a casual 'maybe' opinion. And all three doctors were wrong.

The sooner you have an oncologist looking into this, the sooner something can be dealt with if merited.

Your PCP should be of help in getting a referral in place. And might have some input as to what s/he thinks as well.

I would guess that the doctor expects you to follow up with an oncologist? I would think an oncologist would do more tests to make a definitive diagnosis

Hi @ahster, I agree with the other members who replied to your post. It is important to follow up with a specialist at a cancer center. They will do full diagnostic testing to confirm the cancer diagnosis and stage. With that information, you will be provided with treatment options right for your husband.

Fellow members like @destinnana @wecomu @riflemanz64 @rogro @rhonda1964 @davidday1965 @twocents @kbcutiepie @nrocpop have experience with stomach cancer either as patients themselves or as caregivers.

If you would like to seek a second opinion from Mayo Clinic, here is information about submitting an appointment request: http://mayocl.in/1mtmR63

You are able to self-refer on behalf of your husband or get your doctor to submit a physician referral.
How are you and your husband doing with this news?

Thank you all for kind words and recommendations. He was admitted to Mayo Clinic and spent two days. I this two days, the completed several tests including endoscopy. Awaiting pathology report to make final diagnosis and determine course of treatment. In fact, he has follow up appt scheduled for tomorrow at which time oncologist should have final pathology report.

He is fortunate to have appt today at the Mayo Clinic with an oncologist. I have nothing but positive experience with this hospital. This appt. should determine course of treatment and confirm suspected diagnosis. Hoping there is a course of treatment for his type of cancer. He is reluctant to do chemotherapy at this point and wants to review his options.

Sending all positive thoughts and wishes ...

Please encourage him to listen to all that the doctor have to say and ask all the questions he has. My mother was at a stage where they could only offer her palliative care and I was very skeptical of palliative chemo. She chose to get it anyway and it was exactly as the doctor told her. She felt bad a couple days but much better for like ten days. Then she would get the chemo again. It did help us have quite a few more months together with quite a few good times. I hope he does not automatically rule out chemo and that he asks things like how will I feel, how long might it extend my life, etc

Thank you for responding. Yesterday, oncologist called and reviewed findings. Apparently there are two types of cancers he is dealing with. Although the word cancer is so grim, he did discuss treatment options to hopefully shrink the tumors. His daughter was by his side and is a cancer survivor. She was able to listen and understand the process and because of her experience could put this dreadful diagnosis in proper perspective. The Mayo Clinic has been wonderful from ER to admission to discharge and then follow up. He will begin recommended chemotherapy as per his doctor's advise. We will do as much as we have control of. The rest in not in anyone else's hands. I went through this dx with my mother 22 years ago, but you forget until you are forced to remember. I feel the doctor gave him the hope that he needed to make a decision to proceed with treatment. Thanks again for your support and understanding

@ahster I'm very happy for your husband, you, and your family. Getting another opinion from an oncologist at a Comprehensive Cancer Center, in this case, Mayo Clinic, has given you all hope. The word, cancer, is frightening when you hear it as a diagnosis. I am a cancer survivor (endometrial cancer) and I learned that there are many kinds of cancer and they are all treated in different ways. I am sending you all positive thoughts and energy on the road ahead.

Is your husband thinking about getting treatment at Mayo Clinic? If yes, will you come back here and let us make suggestions for places to stay if you need them?

Going to Mayo was an excellent choice. They treated Daddy for cancer at age 60 and he lived to 93—a fall ended up getting him, not cancer.
I was diagnosed with stomach cancer in the summer of 2012. Attitudes locally ranged from leave it alone to removal of my stomach. I ended up going to Houston to The M.D.Anderson Cancer Reaearch Center. They recommended just removing the cancer. My gastroenterologist had tattooed the spot to find it easily. One of the other physicians, who went to school with my son, ended up using a tiny ultrasound device and removed the lesion. My upper GIs have been negative ever since. I am on a three year recall for upper GI series. I was told nothing carbonated, smoked, cured with salt or smoke and nothing pickled. Those were simple compared to worrying about cancer in my stomach.
The physician who treated me in Houston is now at Methodist in Houston. She is Dr. Phan. She discussed her treatment plan with my local gastroenterologist and he agreed to it. On our 12 hour drive home I called and canceled my stomach resection surgery. That was the happiest moment of 2012! They were wonderful, just like Daddy was treated at Mayo. Good luck, and God bless us, everyone!