Early endoscopy improves survival in gastric cancer.

Gastric cancer often presents late and the mortality ratio remains one of the highest compared with more common cancers. Early diagnosis improves survival in this potentially curable cancer. Men are twice as likely as women to develop gastric cancer. The vast majority (96%) of cases occur in people above the age of 55. Dysphagia, weight loss and age over 55 are significant predictors of cancer. All patients presenting with dyspepsia and either alarm features or known conditions that increase the risk of gastric cancer should be referred for urgent endoscopy. Given that the majority of gastric 0032-6518 cancer cases occur in people over 55, urgent endoscopy is also recommended in this group with new uncomplicated dyspepsia prior to treatment, even without alarm symptoms or if the symptoms respond to treatment. Upper GI endoscopy with biopsy is the recommended investigation to confirm gastric cancer. Patients deemed medically fit should undergo surgical resection to cure early gastric cancer and chemotherapy followed by surgical resection for higher stage tumours. More than half of all patients with gastric cancer present with incurable advanced disease; palliative chemotherapy has a small but significant effect on survival.