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  • What is cancer?
  • What causes cancer?
  • Detecting cancer
    • Imaging techniques
    • Endoscopy
    • Tissue samples
    • Molecular diagnostics
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• Cancers at a glance
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• About cancer research
• Understanding 'risk'
• Our history and achievements

Endoscopy

An endoscope is a long, thin flexible tube with a camera and a light on the end. Doctors can use this to look inside parts of your body to see if there is anything unusual.

Sometimes the endoscope is inserted into a body cavity such as the anus or gullet; in other situations the surgeon may have to make a small incision through which to insert the endoscope, for example to examine the abdominal cavity.

An endoscope can also be used to take samples of any abnormal tissue.

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