The UK NSC recommendation on Stomach cancer screening in adults

Recommendation	Systematic population screening programme not recommended
Last review completed	March 2016
Next review due in	2018/19

Key downloads	Recommendation statement Last external review - Stomach Cancer Last evidence review summary

Find general information about population health screening.

Why is screening not recommended by UK NSC?

Screening is not recommended because:

as of yet there is no initial test that is both reliable and harmless, and therefore which can be used on everybody

there are diagnostic tests that can confirm the presence of cancer, but they are too harmful and invasive to be used on everybody as the first test

it is not known how and when to treat suspicious signs of cancer

More about Stomach cancer

The stomach is an organ that links the oesophagus (gullet) and the duodenum (top of the small intestine). It is part of the digestive system, and its main function is to digest food that is eaten so that the nutrients can be easily absorbed into the body. It does this by contracting the muscles in the stomach wall that help to break down solid food. Cancer of the stomach, which is also known as gastric cancer, affects approximately 8,200 people in the UK every year. Stomach cancer tends to affect those over the age of 55, and it is almost twice as common among men than women.

Helicobacter pylori is a bacterium that inhabits various areas of the stomach and duodenum. It causes a chronic low-level inflammation of the stomach lining and is strongly linked to the development of duodenal and gastric ulcers and stomach cancer.

Stakeholders

The stakeholder groups will be involved when the recommendation is next reviewed. If you think your organisation should be added, please contact us. More information for stakeholders can be found in appendix C of the UK NSC evidence review process.

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