[European guideline for the management of precancerous conditions in the stomach and it's application to Japan].

Atrophic gastritis, intestinal metaplasia, and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection are commonly recognized as the risk factor of gastric cancer. In Japan mass screening by the X-ray examination or endoscopy has been performed for a long time in general population or in work place because of the high death rate and high incidence of gastric cancer. Periodic endoscopy has been recommended for the subjects with atrophic gastritis and/or intestinal metaplasia to detect gastric cancer in early stage. On the other hand, there was no guideline to manage premalignant conditions such as atrophic gastritis, intestinal metaplasia, and dysplasia in foreign countries. Recently the guideline for the management of precancerous conditions and lesions in the stomach (MAPS) has been published by the combined efforts of the European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, European Helicobacter Study Group, European Society of Pathology, and the Sociedade Portuguesa de Endoscopia Digestiva. In this article the main statements have been discussed on comparing the understandings as the premalignant conditions in Japan.