Stomach Cancer Diagnosis
Diagnosing stomach cancer includes the physical examination, blood tests and the medical history of the patient. A cancer tumor that can be felt with the fingers on the surface of stomach is considered as the advanced stomach cancer. There are different tests performed to confirm the stomach cancer. These tests include upper GI series, complete blood count, gastroscopy, imaging tests and fecal occult blood test.
Upper GI Series
In the upper GI series test, a patient needs to drink barium, which is thick and chalky liquid. Hence, this test is also called the Barium Swallow. This liquid helps to detect the cancer affected area in x-ray by coating stomach and the esophagus. Another method of this test is called double contrast barium-swallow in which this process of coating stomach and the esophagus by blowing air into these organs. Gastroscopy
In this test, a tube containing a light and a camera is inserted into the stomach through the esophagus and mouth of the patient. This tube is called the gastroscope. This gastroscope is used by the doctors to understand the inside of stomach. Sometimes, a small part of the tissue is removed with the help of an instrument to examine it in laboratory. This examination is called the Biopsy. During this procedure anesthesia is necessary to reduce the sensation in the stomach and esophagus, so an anesthetic should be consulted before the test.
Fecal occult Blood Test
In fecal occult blood tests, microscopic blood in tool is detected that can be helpful to signal the existence of stomach cancer and many other gastrointestinal cancers.
Complete Blood Count (CBC)
This is one of the common and simple blood tests, which is helpful to measure the level of concentration of in red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.
Imaging Tests
These tests include the Computerized Tomography (CT) scan, Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and ultrasound. These tests are helpful to diagnose metastatic stomach cancer. CT scan provides the additional information about the size of the tumor and in which parts the cancer has spread.
A CT scan of abdomen, pelvis and chest should be taken to diagnoses the cancer. When the cancer cells are spread in the distant parts of the body like pancreas, spleen or liver, CT scan can detect and show it.
Laparoscopy
This test is used to stage the stomach cancer disease with the help of an endoscope like device. Laparoscopy is known as an invasive surgery that includes small incisions. A patient can be recovered rapidly after this test, which stages the stomach cancer correctly. Laparoscopy is also used to the patients who have gone through the radiation therapy and the chemotherapy.
However, most of the patients visit the doctor for stomach cancer after two years they experience the stomach cancer symptoms, but the above tests are useful to diagnose it properly and stage the disease.
