Determining whether a gastric ulcer is benign or malignant can be determined mainly by observing the ulcer characteristics through endoscopy and the degree of invasion through ultrasonic endoscopy and biopsy. Generally, peptic ulcers produced by inflammatory stimulation are benign, while ulcers caused by tumor tissue proliferation and necrosis are malignant.
1. Endoscopy: the morphology of the ulcer can be observed under endoscopy to determine whether it is benign or not. Generally speaking, benign peptic ulcers are round or oval, <2cm in diameter, deeper, with flat edges and flat bottoms. On the other hand, malignant ulcerative gastric cancer is irregular crater-like, often >2cm in diameter, shallower, with irregular margins and an uneven bottom. From these features, it can be judged whether the ulcer is benign or malignant.
2. Ultrasound endoscopy: ultrasound endoscopy can determine the depth of invasion of ulcerative lesions through ultrasound, if there is extra-mural or deep invasion, it may be malignant ulcer.
3. Biopsy: Biopsy is more accurate, if obvious malignant tumor cells can be detected through histological examination of biopsy, it can be judged as malignant.
Patients diagnosed with gastric ulcer should go to the hospital for examination in time and receive appropriate treatment after clarifying the condition.