differential diagnosis
Last reviewed 11/2020
There are four common diseases which give a very similar clinical picture to gastric carcinoma: that of a patient with a anorexia, weight loss, a slight lemon tinge on examination, and anaemia.
These diseases are:
- carcinoma of the caecum
- carcinoma of the pancreas
- pernicious anaemia
- uraemia
They form a quintet with gastric carcinoma which should always be considered together.
The principal differential for a gastric carcinoma is a gastric ulcer. In fact the gastric carcinoma may have originated from a previous gastric ulcer. A histological diagnosis of a gastric carcinoma must be made.