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Last April a friend of the La Molina National Agrarian University (Lima, Peru) asked me how to support her friend Gabriela, who was just been diagnosed by advanced gastric cancer.

Gabriela is a 30-year-old Peruvian biologist.  She worked almost all her life with plants in-vitro.  Lately, she works in natural sciences textbooks publishing for high school students.  She kindly gives us some time of her daily life to share her personal experience with cancer.

MAGIC: How did you know about your disease?

Gabriela: In January 2008, I started to have some back pain.  I didnt pay attention to them, because I thought was due to the fact I work at the desk the whole day long.  However, the pain (located at my waist) became stronger week by week.  I thought it could be my kidneys.  After consultation, I received some painkillers, which I started taking often and often because of the pain.  Meanwhile, I started to feel some stomach discomfort, heartburn, especially after meals.

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QUESTION from Los Angeles, USA

As for the National Cancer Center Hospital in Tokyo, they always try surgery if it is possible.

Only stage 4 patients have case-by-case treatment. But even in stage 4 cases, Japaneses perform a laparoscopic peritoneal lavage to check peritoneal dissemination. If it is negative, the patient could be prepare for surgery. Anyway, they will receive chemotherapy.
I don’t know about treatment in Peru, but probably follows the American guidelines.

I hope this could answer your question.