Scientists are studying many possible new ways to diagnose, treat and prevent stomach cancer, including:

• Chemoprevention with antibiotics and antioxidants to find ways to prevent stomach cancer. Ongoing studies are evaluating the role of vitamin C in preventing the disease.
  
  
• Using drugs that boost the immune system to fight cancer cells. Some studies are using interleukins to increas a patient's immune system while other trials are evaluating vaccines. In passive immunotherapy, scientists are using man-made antibodies to seek and destroy specific cancer cells while avoiding healthy cells in the body.
  
  
• Advanced types of surgery to remove stomach cancer.
  
  
• Delivery of chemotherapy drugs directly through the peritoneum (lining of the abdominal cavity) for a more direct affect. In addition, clinical trials are testing new chemotherapy drugs and combinations.
  
  
• Using sentinel lymph node mapping to identify metastasis (cancer spread).
  
  
• Combination treatments, such as surgery and radiation therapy or chemotherapy, to increase survival rates. Studies are focusing on the benefits of adding radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy before and after surgery in certain patients.