Diagnosis Of Stomach Cancer: Investigation & Tests For Detection

Diagnosis Of Stomach Cancer: Investigation & Tests For Detection . Signs and symptoms are useful for clinical diagnosis of stomach cancer. Physical examination can also be helpful in diagnosis of stomach cancer. A firm non-tender, movable epigastric mass separate from the liver will suggest cancer of the stomach. Whenever such mass is detected, one should try to exclude metastasis.

Tests And Investigations For Stomach Cancer Detection

• Routine blood examination will reveal low hemoglobin, low RBC count and a high sedimentation rate (ESR). High ESR is very common and is present in nearly 80% of patients.
• Routine stool examination will reveal presence of occult blood in about 80% of cases.
  
  Posted by http://signs-causes-treatment-prevention.blogspot.com Prevention And Detection Of Diseases At An Early Stage When The First Signs To Get The Most Effective Treatment.
  
  
• Gastric function tests will reveal gross hypochlorhydria or achlorhydria (decreased or absence of hydrochloric acid from gastric secretion respectively). Presence of blood in the basal secretion goes in favor of the diagnosis of stomach cancer.
• Barium X-ray: Though small lesion is liable to escape notice, yet majority of the cases can be diagnosed by this investigation. When the patients come to the surgeon, carcinomas have grown enough to be revealed by barium meal X-ray. Only flat growth in the body of the stomach may remain undetected. Irregular filling defect is the most constant finding in favor of carcinoma.
  
  Posted by http://signs-causes-treatment-prevention.blogspot.com Prevention And Detection Of Diseases At An Early Stage When The First Signs To Get The Most Effective Treatment.
  
  A regular filling defect is more often a benign lesion and irregular filling defect with short history is mostly cancer of the stomach.
• Endoscopy: This has revolutionized the diagnosis of gastric cancer. In early stages when the patients only complain of dyspepsia, gastroscopy is justified particularly if the patient is above 40 years of age. This will diagnose early case of stomach cancer. Whenever a lesion is detected by gastroscopy, biopsy should be taken.
• Exfoliative cytology examination of the cells detected by washing of the stomach or gastric lavage may diagnose a case of carcinoma. 75% accuracy has been claimed by this technique.
• Tetracycline fluorescence test: Growing cancer cells absorb tetracycline quicker than normal cells and are stained yellow. When the yellow cells are seen in ultraviolet light they show yellow fluorescence. These cells can be identified either by gastric washing (lavage) or by gastroscopy.
• Serum pepsinogen I level can be suggested as a specific marker for intestinal metaplasia, a possible precursor of gastric carcinoma. Serum pepsinogen I level would greatly enhance our ability to identify those at high risk of developing cancer of the stomach.
• CT-scan determination of the extent of disease may assist in making decisions regarding treatment. For this all patients should undergo computed tomography (CT) scan after the diagnosis of gastric malignancy. This correlates closely extra-gastric extension, accurate demonstration of nodal involvement and liver metastasis. Thus CT scan can be used to avoid unnecessary surgery in some patients.