Simple tests which raise the suspicion of gastric cancer include blood tests for anaemia and stool for occult blood.
The diagnostic investigation of choice is endoscopy which allows visual identification of suspicious features of the gastric lining mucosa and biopsy for histological confirmation. The typical gastroscopy examination is performed as an outpatient procedure under sedation and local anaesthesia, taking only approximately 10 minutes. Where endoscopy is not available, barium meal X-ray of the stomach is the usual screening investigation for gastric lesions. Investigations to determine the clinical stage of gastric cancer are performed once the histological diagnosis is confirmed & may include X-rays, CT scans, PET scans and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS).
