Abstract
Background: Detection of gastric cancer in an early stage is important to improve the prognosis
of patients with gastric cancer. This study compared the clinicopathologic characteristics
and surgical results in patients with asymptomatic gastric cancer detected by a screening
program with those of patients with symptomatic cancer. The efficacy of 2 screening
methods (barium meal and endoscopy) was also compared. Methods: The subjects included 196 patients with asymptomatic gastric cancer detected by screening
(screening group) and 612 patients with symptomatic gastric cancer (nonscreening group)
treated from 1979 to 1997. The screening group was subdivided into the barium meal
study group (n = 150) and the endoscopic study group (n = 46). Results: The incidences of early gastric cancer and 5-year survival rates between the screening
and nonscreening groups were 77% versus 29% (P <.0001) and 81% versus 44% (P <.0001), respectively. The endoscopic study appeared to be able to detect smaller
gastric cancer in an earlier stage compared with the barium meal study, although no
statistical differences in survival rate were noted between these 2 screening methods.
Conclusions: Screening plays an important role in detecting gastric cancer in an early stage and
in potentially reducing death attributable to gastric cancer. Endoscopic screening
is recommended as the best screening method. (Surgery 2000;128:41-7)
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
February 26,
2000
Footnotes
*Reprint requests: Hirofumi Kubota, MD, Second Department of Surgery, Shimane Medical University, Izumo, 693-8501, Japan.
Identification
Copyright
© 2000 Mosby, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
