How is gastric adenocarcinoma typically diagnosed?

• A. Stool culture
• B. Endoscopy with biopsy
• C. CT abdomen without biopsy
• D. Serum lipase

Answer: (B)

Gastric adenocarcinoma is diagnosed by obtaining tissue for histologic confirmation. Endoscopy allows the physician to visualize the stomach lining and take targeted biopsies of any suspicious lesions. The biopsy provides the definitive diagnosis and guides staging and treatment decisions. Imaging such as CT abdomen is useful for staging after diagnosis, but it cannot confirm cancer on its own. Stool culture is aimed at infectious etiologies, and serum lipase assesses pancreatic function, not gastric cancer.