Stomach cancer, or gastric cancer, occurs when cancer cells in the stomach grow out of control. Although stomach cancer can occur in any part of the stomach, most cases occur due to abnormal cell growth at the junction of the oesophagus and stomach. Cancerous growth in the stomach starts as a tumour mass that progresses slowly and may spread to nearby organs like the liver and pancreas. If a person has symptoms related to stomach cancer, then a doctor may recommend diagnostic tests to detect the cancer. Having a health insurance plan that covers diagnostic tests for cancer diagnosis and treatment can be helpful in such cases. Read on to learn more about how stomach cancer is detected.
Diagnosis of stomach cancer
For a stomach cancer diagnosis, the following tests and procedures are recommended by the doctor.
- Endoscopy: to look for signs of cancer, like abnormal growth, a tiny camera is inserted inside the stomach. In this procedure, a thin, lighted tube called an endoscope is inserted through the mouth, down the throat, and into the stomach. This procedure is called endoscopy.
- Collection of tissue samples: The endoscope may also contain a tool to remove the tissue samples. During the endoscopy procedure, if some abnormal growth or abnormal areas are found inside the stomach, a tissue sample is taken. The biopsy sample is then sent to the laboratory for testing. If the biopsy sample comes back positive for stomach cancer, then the healthcare provider might recommend other tests to see if the cancer has invaded other tissues. These tests help in determining the stage of the cancer. Knowledge about the cancer stage is important to understand the prognosis. Procedures and tests that are recommended to assess the stage of the cancer are
- Blood test: A blood test can be helpful in determining the overall health of a person. If stomach cancer has spread to the liver, then a blood test may show abnormal liver function markers. A blood test can also be used to look for circulating tumour DNA in the blood, which usually occurs when stomach cancer is in an advanced stage.
- Ultrasound of the stomach: Ultrasound is an imaging technique that can be helpful in diagnosing how far stomach cancer has spread into the stomach.
- Computed tomography (CT) scan: In a CT scan, an x-ray machine linked to a computer is used to make a series of pictures inside the stomach from different angles. In this procedure, a dye may be swallowed by the patient or injected into the veins to give a clearer picture of the organs and tissues. Positron emission tomography (PET) is another procedure that is also used for the detection of cancer cell metastasis.
- Surgery: Sometimes, the procedures mentioned above do not give a clear picture of cancer metastasis. In such cases, surgery is recommended by the healthcare provider to make sure there are no abnormal growths in the liver or other areas of the belly.
Stages of stomach cancer can be categorized from 0 stage to 4 stage, as shown in the table below:
- Stage 0: When the abnormal cell mass is small and resides on the surface of the stomach
- Stage 1: When abnormal cancerous cell mass grows into the inner layers of the stomach.
- Stages 2 and 3 are when cancerous cell mass invades deeper inside the walls of the stomach.
- Stage 4 is when cancer cells spread and metastasize into the lymph nodes and nearby organs.
Conclusion
If you were wondering how to detect stomach cancer early, we hope this has heaped. Stomach cancer usually develops in the inner lining of the stomach and spreads to deeper tissues. In the early stages of stomach cancer, a person might suffer from unexplained weight loss and stomach pain. Diagnostic tests for stomach cancer include an endoscopy and a biopsy of the stomach tissue. Other tests include blood tests, CT scans, PET scans, and surgery.