If a biopsy shows you have stomach cancer, you may have more tests to see if the cancer has spread. This is called staging. Some tests may be repeated during or after treatment to check your health and how well the treatment is working.
Learn more about these further tests:
Blood tests
| What are blood tests? | A sample of your blood is checked. |
| Why is it done? | Checks your general health, blood cell count and how your liver and kidneys are working. |
| How the procedure is done | A quick test, usually a needle in your arm. |
Imaging scans
| What is an imaging scan? | Pictures of the inside of your body using CT, MRI or PET–CT scans. |
| Why is it done? | Checks if the cancer has spread to other parts of your body. |
| How the procedure is done | You’ll lie still on a table. For some scans, a liquid dye (contrast) is injected into a vein. |
Before having scans, tell the doctor if you have any allergies or have had a reaction to contrast during previous scans. You should also let them know if you have or kidney disease or are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Laparoscopy
| What is a laparoscopy? | Keyhole surgery using a thin tube with a camera. |
| Why is it done? | Checks if cancer has spread to the stomach’s outer layer or the abdomen lining. |
| How the procedure is done | Done under general anaesthetic. The tube is inserted through small cuts in your belly. Afterwards, you may feel bloated or have shoulder pain. |
Genomic testing
| What is genomic testing? | Special tests on tissue removed during surgery. |
| Why is it done? | Finds gene changes (mutations) in cancer cells. This helps decide which treatments may work best. |
| How the procedure is done | No extra procedure is needed. Uses tissue already taken during surgery or biopsy. |
Endoscopic resection
Sometimes an endoscopic resection is used to help stage stomach cancer, but it can also be a
treatment for early-stage stomach cancer.
To learn more, see Endoscopic resection for stomach cancer.
For an overview of what to expect during all stages of your care for stomach cancer, visit Cancer Care Guides: Oesophagogastric cancer (oesophageal and stomach cancers). This is a short guide to what is recommended, from diagnosis to treatment and beyond.
→ READ MORE: Staging and prognosis for stomach cancer
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Prof David I Watson, Matthew Flinders Distinguished Professor of Surgery, Flinders University, and Senior Consultant Surgeon, Oesophago-Gastric Surgery Unit, Flinders Medical Centre, SA; Prof Bryan Burmeister, Senior Radiation Oncologist, GenesisCare Fraser Coast and Hervey Bay Hospital, QLD; Dr Natalie Collier, Radiation Oncologist, Wollongong Hospital, NSW; A/Prof Melissa Eastgate, A/Executive Director, Cancer Care Services, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, QLD; Brett Hall, Consumer; Natalie Lalor, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council Victoria; Chris Menzies, Upper GI Cancer Nurse Consultant, Flinders Medical Centre and Southern Adelaide Local Health Network, SA; Stefanie Simnadis, Clinical Dietitian, St John of God Subiaco Hospital, WA; Prof Rajvinder Singh, Professor of Medicine, University of Adelaide, and Director, Gastroenterology Department and Head of Endoscopy, Lyell McEwin Hospital, SA.
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