The correlation between gastric cancer screening method and the clinicopathologic features of gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND

A gastric cancer (GC) screening program using gastrofiberscopy (GFS) or double contrast upper gastrointestinal series (UGIS), as a public policy, has been used in Korea since 1996. The aim of this study was to assess whether there have been major changes in clinicopathologic features of GC by introducing GC screening.

METHOD

We reviewed the medical records of 1478 consecutive patients with GC who underwent gastrectomy between 1989 and 1999. Patients were divided into two groups: group I (before GC screening), 1989-1995 (n = 840), and group II (after GC screening), 1996-1999 (n = 638).

RESULTS

After employment of GC screening, the incidence of early cancer was significantly increased (21% vs 13%, p < 0.0001). During these years, the proportion of patients using GFS as the first diagnostic procedure and the relative frequency of intestinal-type GC increased significantly (63% vs 84%, 0.6 vs 1.2, respectively, p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that GC screening is effective for early detection of GC. Furthermore, the preferred screening method of GC can attribute the clinicopathologic features of GC.