This is called a biopsy. Biopsies are usually done during the gastroscopy. Once cancer of the stomach is found, more tests will be done to find out if cancer cells have spread to other parts of the body. This is called staging. The doctor needs to know the stage of the disease to plan treatment.
Cancer is found only in the innermost layer of the stomach wall.
Stage I Cancer is in the second or third layers of the stomach wall and has not spread to lymph nodes near the cancer or is in the second layer of the stomach wall and has spread to lymph nodes very close to the tumor. Cancer is in the second layer of the stomach wall and has spread to lymph nodes further away from the tumor. Cancer is in all four layers of the stomach wall but has not spread to lymph nodes or other organs. Cancer is in the third layer of the stomach wall and has spread to lymph nodes further away from the tumor. Cancer is in all four layers of the stomach wall and has spread to lymph nodes either very close to the tumor or further away from the tumor.