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Why it’s done - Gastroscopy

Why a gastroscopy is done

A gastroscopy can be done to check what’s causing your digestive symptoms, treat some conditions or check for cancer.

The cause of your digestive symptoms

A gastroscopy can be done to check what’s causing your digestive symptoms, such as:

  • difficulties swallowing or pain when swallowing (dysphagia)
  • indigestion, heartburn or stomach pain that does not go away or keeps coming, even if you take medicine
  • you keep feeling sick (nausea) or being sick (vomiting), or both
  • vomiting blood
  • your poo is black and sticky, like tar (there may be blood in it from your stomach)

Treating problems

A gastroscopy can sometimes also be used to treat problems with your digestive system. A gastroscopy can help:

  • widen your food pipe (oesophagus) if it’s too narrow and causing pain or difficulties when you swallow
  • stop bleeding inside your stomach or oesophagus
  • remove growths
  • with feeding if you’re unable to eat normally (a gastroscopy can help doctors place a feeding tube into your stomach)

Checking for cancer

A gastroscopy can be used to check for some types of cancer, such as:

During a gastroscopy a small sample of tissue can be removed from your stomach or oesophagus for testing. This is called a biopsy.

The biopsy is tested to see if there are any cancer cells in it.

Page last reviewed: 07 April 2022
Next review due: 07 April 2025