Check From What Age and How Often to Get the National Stomach Cancer Screening

Who is eligible for the national stomach cancer screening, and how often?

The National Cancer Information Center's guide to the national cancer screening program (revised August 2026) lays out eligibility and intervals by cancer type in a table. For stomach cancer, men and women aged 40 and over are eligible, and the interval is 2 years. The National Health Insurance Service's cancer screening guide likewise says men and women aged 40 and over get an upper endoscopy every 2 years, even without symptoms.

Other cancers in the same table have different eligible ages and intervals. For example, colorectal cancer is for men and women aged 50 and over, at a 1-year interval. This post covers stomach cancer screening only.

How do an upper endoscopy and an upper GI series differ?

The national cancer screening guide (screening intervals and methods, revised February 2024) sets the basic test for stomach cancer as an upper endoscopy. When an upper endoscopy is difficult to perform, an upper GI series is done. The National Health Insurance Service's guide also says you can choose an upper GI series if endoscopy is difficult.

Which test you take is decided in consultation with the screening institution. These sources don't compare the accuracy of the two tests, so this post doesn't say either one is better.

How are additional tests and costs divided?

• If stomach cancer is suspected on the upper GI series, you then get an upper endoscopy.
• During the upper endoscopy, a tissue examination is done if needed, and the National Health Insurance Service pays all or part of that cost.
• The person screened pays any extra cost that arises from also getting a sedated endoscopy or a Helicobacter pylori test.
• The Service's guide gives the cancer screening cost split as 90% by the Service and 10% by the person screened. It says those in the lower 50% by health insurance premium (as of November of the previous year) among national cancer screening participants, and Medical Aid recipients, pay nothing.

Ask the screening institution when you book whether you want a sedated endoscopy. The amount of the extra cost may differ by institution and isn't confirmed in these sources.

Are there cases where you are left out of the national screening?

According to the Service's guide, people with the stomach cancer special calculation benefit are deferred from screening. If they want to be screened, though, they can be registered as eligible. The screening period runs from January 1 to December 31 each year, with no extension, according to the guide.

Check whether you are eligible this year with the Service's eligibility lookup or its customer center.

Is the age in the national screening the same as in the academic society recommendations?

The National Cancer Information Center's stomach cancer page (revised 2019) carries the 2015 stomach cancer screening recommendations. These recommend an upper endoscopy every 2 years for men and women alike from age 40 to 74. The text of the same page says adults aged 40 and over are recommended to be screened once every 2 years even without particular symptoms.

The 2026 national cancer screening program guide lists the eligible group as 40 and over. The recommendations table has an upper limit of 74, but the national screening guide gives no upper limit. The sources don't explain how this difference applies to actual eligibility, so check with the Service whether you qualify.

What should you check when getting a stomach cancer screening?

Taking care of the four items below before you book cuts down on wasted trips.

• Look up with the Health Insurance Service whether you are eligible for the national stomach cancer screening this year.
• Talk to the screening institution about whether you can have an upper endoscopy, and if not, whether to have an upper GI series.
• If you want a sedated endoscopy, check the extra cost and procedure when you book.
• If a family member has had stomach cancer, or you have atrophic gastritis, intestinal metaplasia, or dysplasia, talk to your doctor about whether you need regular testing as the National Cancer Information Center describes.

When should you contact a medical institution?

The National Cancer Information Center explains that once stomach cancer has advanced considerably, there can be repeated vomiting, difficulty swallowing food, weight loss, gastrointestinal bleeding, and anemia. If you have symptoms like these, talk to a medical institution without waiting for your screening date. The national screening is a test that people without symptoms take on a set interval, and it does not replace seeing a doctor when you have symptoms. Talk to your doctor about interpreting your results and any further tests.