Gastric Cancer

Diagnosis

Mayo Clinic has one of the largest, most comprehensive cancer diagnosis and treatment programs in the world, offering the latest in screening and diagnostic services. These services include endoscopic examinations, barium stomach X-rays, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), PET scans and surgical biopsies. Mayo Clinic offers routine 24- to 48-hour turnaround for biopsy scheduling and availability of results.

To diagnose gastric cancer, Mayo Clinic specialists use the following procedures and imaging techniques:

Upper endoscopy — Upper endoscopy involves advancing an endoscope (flexible tube) into the stomach through the mouth. The specialist can then look for signs of cancer in the stomach.
Biopsy — If specialists see tissue that may be cancerous, a biopsy (small sample) can be taken during the endoscopy. Pathologists then examine this tissue in a laboratory to identify any unusual cells.
Barium stomach X-ray — The barium stomach X-ray series produces images of the upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Before the X-rays, patients drink a liquid containing barium, which coats the stomach lining so that abnormalities show up clearly.
CT scan — Computed tomography (CT) is an X-ray technique that produces more detailed images of the internal organs than do conventional X-ray exams. The CT can help determine whether the cancer has spread by direct extension beyond the stomach wall to involve nearby organs (colon, pancreas, liver, spleen) or has spread through the bloodstream to the lungs or liver.
Endoscopic ultrasound — An ultrasound may be performed at the first or a later endoscopy to determine how deeply the cancer has invaded the wall of the stomach, or beyond, and whether lymph nodes appear to be involved. If physicians suspect that the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes, a skinny-needle biopsy of the node may be performed.
MRI scan — Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a technique that uses a magnetic field and radio waves to create cross-sectional images of the head and body.
PET scan — Positron emission tomography (PET) is a noninvasive imaging technique that creates three-dimensional images of the heart, brain and other organs of the body. A PET scan is especially valuable if a cancer in the upper part of the stomach has grown into the lower part of the esophagus.

Virtual endoscopy (or computed endoscopy) is a new method of diagnosis using computer processing of 3-D images.