[How effective are simple laboratory tests (Hb, BSG) in the early diagnosis of stomach neoplasms]

Up to now only early resection has proven of value in healing gastric carcinoma. It is therefore mandatory that the pathologic lesion be diagnosed as early as possible. Thus, patients with persistent epigastric complaints under symptomatic treatment should undergo endoscopy even if blood parameters are still within normal limits. The fact that, among all our gastric cancers diagnosed in 1977 by endoscopy, 23% were classified as early cancers indicates that the method is well suited to establishing true early diagnosis.