Diagnosed with gastric cancer, is it enough to do gastroscopy? Doctor: There are also these 4 examinations, which are essential!
It has been mentioned in many content about the prevention and treatment of gastric cancer that gastroscopy is the most indispensable way to screen for gastric cancer.
Because the stomach is a hollow organ, it is difficult to detect early gastric mucosal lesions through ordinary imaging examinations. The gastroscope is different. It can directly enter the stomach and observe the gastric tissue 360° without dead angle.
Therefore, many people blindly believe that endoscopy is the only way to diagnose gastric cancer. But in fact, from a clinical point of view, this idea is very wrong. It is undeniable that gastroscopic screening can indeed detect early gastric mucosal lesions, precancerous lesions or cancerous tumors .
However, the key tool for detecting gastric tumors is actually white light endoscopy , which is not very specific and sensitive for early gastric cancer, and the technical level of different endoscopists is also different . Missed diagnosis!
Moreover, everyone must clearly realize that the nature of gastroscope is still an imaging examination. It can detect tumors. Doctors can suspect malignant tumors based on imaging reports, but they cannot directly diagnose through gastroscopy. Diagnosis of gastric cancer requires a comprehensive analysis of the following tests:
1. Physical screening
Doctors usually conduct a comprehensive physical examination on patients suspected of gastric cancer, which includes routine blood and urine, three high diseases, and so on. At the same time, the doctor will also observe the patient's abdomen , through touch, auscultation and percussion, to see if the patient has pain, and whether there is fluid or mass in the abdomen .
In addition, because gastric cancer is prone to lymphatic metastasis, especially the area above the left clavicle , doctors will also focus on observing whether the patient has swollen lymph nodes ;
2. Tumor markers
After gastric cancer is suspected, doctors often recommend that patients undergo tumor marker screening. According to the current clinical data, serum CEA, CA50, CA72-4, CA19-9 and other tumor-related antigens after suffering from gastric cancer may all be will rise . Of course, the sensitivity and specificity of these markers are not high, and they are mainly used to judge the prognosis of tumors and the effect of chemotherapy;
3. Other imaging examinations
In addition to gastroscopy, doctors often recommend abdominal ultrasound, CT and other examinations . These examination items can show the specific situation of the tumor in the form of images, including the location of tumor growth and the extent of invasion . If necessary, it is also necessary to perform puncture to take biopsy samples under the guidance of ultrasound or CT for further screening;
4. Histopathological examination
It is determined that there is a tumor in the stomach, and the doctor has a high suspicion of malignancy. In this case, a specific understanding of the nature of the tumor requires histopathological examination.
The doctor will take a tissue biopsy sample through a gastroscope or puncture, and then go to the laboratory for examination, which can determine the nature of the tumor, the type of the case, and the stage . From a clinical point of view , pathological biopsy is the gold standard for determining cancer.
All in all, gastroscopy alone is not enough to diagnose gastric cancer. However, don't forget that imaging examinations are essential to detect problems in the stomach, and endoscopy is the first choice.
Therefore, regular gastroscopy screening is necessary for high-risk groups of gastric cancer, such as those with a family history of gastric cancer, who are over 45 years old, and have a history of chronic gastric disease.