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How do we improve outcomes for gastric cancer?
Author(s) -
Yeoh KhayGuan
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of gastroenterology and hepatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.214
H-Index - 130
eISSN - 1440-1746
pISSN - 0815-9319
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1746.2007.04956.x
Subject(s) - medicine , cancer , helicobacter pylori , disease , incidence (geometry) , stage (stratigraphy) , intensive care medicine , oncology , paleontology , physics , optics , biology
Although the incidence of gastric cancer is decreasing globally, it remains the second leading cause of cancer death, accounting for 600 000 deaths annually worldwide. It is particularly common in Asia and especially in China, Japan and Korea. In Singapore, it is the fourth commonest cancer in men, who have a 1:50 lifetime risk of developing gastric cancer. Gastric cancer traditionally carries a poor prognosis because of late presentation at an advanced stage of disease. If diagnosed at an early stage, it is a curable disease. Four strategies will systematically help to improve outcomes for gastric cancer: (i) early detection by screening of high‐risk groups; (ii) clarification of the hypothesis that Helicobacter pylori eradication in endemic areas with a high incidence of gastric cancer is an effective primary prevention strategy; (iii) improvement of treatment by well‐designed clinical trials, coupled with molecular characterization of tumors; and (iv) improving our biological understanding of gastric carcinogenesis.