Stomach Biopsy: What to Expect - Results, Procedure & What They Look For

Question
How long does it usually take for the doctor
to get back the result of a biopsy?
Aslo what do they look for when it is taken.
Is it just cancer or does it also show bacteria
or immune diseases.

Thanks

Answer
I forgot that you had a stomach biopsy until just now. A stomach biopsy can be done to look for the presence of bacteria, mainly H. pylori. H. pylori causes ulcers. The pathologist can probably also tell if there is some sort of an auto-immune disease taking place. As far as cancer goes, I'm not sure if that is something your doctor is looking for or not. Stomach cancer is a possibility with abdominal symptoms, but that doesn't mean your doctor expects to find cancer. You might try calling the doctor's office and asking when you can expect your results. Also, you might ask why they did the biopsy/ what they were looking for.


Debbie,

I gave you a link that should answer your questions. As far as how long the results will take goes, it will just depend on the place where you had the biopsy. Sometimes you can get results back in several days, sometimes it can take a couple of weeks. You might want to call and ask what time frame you can expect.

http://www.cancerguide.org/pathology.html

Beth