Gastric carcinoma in Iraq: evaluation of clinical and diagnostic procedures

ABSTRACT

Gastric carcinoma is the 8th common and the commonest G.I. cancer in Iraq. 418 patients with biopsy proved cancer were studied clinically and by various diagnostic procedures. Non-specific dyspepsia was the presenting symptom in 2/3 patients and peptic ulcer like pain in 19,7% of patients. Tumor mass in the antrum was the commonest endoscopic finding and an ulcer was found in 23% of patients, but neither size nor site of the ulcer was helpful in differentiating benign from malignant ulcers. Barium series was helpful in 62,% of patients whereas brush cytology was diagnostic in 82% of patients. Histopathology was reported as adenocarcinoma in all but the disease was well advanced in all patients and curative measures were either palliative or not feasible