[Changes in gastroenterology by endoscopy. Diagnostic and therapeutic progress in gastric carcinoma (author's transl)].

Since the introduction of routine fiberendoscopy of the upper alimentary tract, for the majority of the patients as primary diagnostic method, the number of early gastric carcinomas has significantly risen. Differentiation between benign and malignant lesions is nowadays possible with an accuracy of 99,8%. Endoscopic determination of tumour invasion is limited. Of utmost importance is the differentiation between intestinal and diffuse type carcinoma. Ulcer carcinomas as malignant degeneration of chronic callous ulcers are an extreme rarity. Of special significance is the endoscopic follow-up of patients resected because of gastric carcinoma since only by routine biopsy from the anastomosis early, recurrency may be detected.