• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.169-183
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• 2022

Gastric cancer is prevalent in Korea and ranked as the third most common cancer in 2019, followed by lung and thyroid cancers. The National Cancer Screening Program (NCSP) for gastric cancer has been implemented in adults aged ≥ 40 since 1999 and involves endoscopic screening every 2 years. The beneficial effects of the current NCSP on early cancer detection, cost-effectiveness, and mortality reduction are evident. However, the screening program results in a large socioeconomic burden and the consumption of medical resources, as it focuses solely on secondary prevention (early detection) rather than primary prevention of cancer. Helicobacter pylori is defined as a group I carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Hence, its eradication has been suggested as an important primary gastric cancer prevention strategy. Well-designed randomized controlled trials involving high-risk groups (post-endoscopic resection of early gastric cancer and family history of gastric cancer) and long-term follow-up studies in the general population have provided high-quality evidence regarding the effects of H. pylori eradication on gastric cancer prevention. In this review, we discussed the evidences for a possible modification of the current gastric cancer secondary prevention strategy by introducing primary prevention through H. pylori eradication. Areas for future research to optimize primary prevention strategies were also suggested.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.33-42
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• 2017

Purpose: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) in early gastric cancer causes an artificial gastric ulcer and local inflammation that has a negative intraprocedural impact on additional laparoscopic gastrectomy in patients with noncurative ESD. In this study, we analyzed the effect of ESD on short-term surgical outcomes and evaluated the risk factors. Materials and Methods: From January 2003 to January 2013, 1,704 patients of the National Cancer Center underwent laparoscopic gastrectomy with lymph node dissection because of preoperative stage Ia or Ib gastric cancer. They were divided into 2 groups: (1) with preoperative ESD or (2) without preoperative ESD. Clinicopathologic factors and short-term surgical outcomes were retrospectively evaluated along with risk factors such as preoperative ESD. Results: Several characteristics differed between patients who underwent ESD-surgery (n=199) or surgery alone (n=1,505). The mean interval from the ESD procedure to the operation was 43.03 days. Estimated blood loss, open conversion rate, mean operation time, and length of hospital stay were not different between the 2 groups. Postoperative complications occurred in 23 patients (11.56%) in the ESD-surgery group and in 189 patients (12.56%) in the surgery-only group, and 3 deaths occurred among patients with complications (1 patient [ESD-surgery group] vs. 2 patients [surgery-only group]; P=0.688). A history of ESD was not significantly associated with postoperative complications (P=0.688). Multivariate analysis showed that male sex (P=0.008) and laparoscopic total or proximal gastrectomy (P=0.000) were independently associated with postoperative complications. Conclusions: ESD did not affect short-term surgical outcomes during and after an additional laparoscopic gastrectomy.

• Clinical Endoscopy
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• v.57 no.1
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• pp.11-17
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• 2024

Although magnifying endoscopy with narrow-band imaging is the standard diagnostic test for gastric cancer, diagnosing gastric cancer using this technology requires considerable skill. Artificial intelligence has superior image recognition, and its usefulness in endoscopic image diagnosis has been reported in many cases. The diagnostic performance (accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity) of artificial intelligence using magnifying endoscopy with narrow band still images and videos for gastric cancer was higher than that of expert endoscopists, suggesting the usefulness of artificial intelligence in diagnosing gastric cancer. Histological diagnosis of gastric cancer using artificial intelligence is also promising. However, previous studies on the use of artificial intelligence to diagnose gastric cancer were small-scale; thus, large-scale studies are necessary to examine whether a high diagnostic performance can be achieved. In addition, the diagnosis of gastric cancer using artificial intelligence has not yet become widespread in clinical practice, and further research is necessary. Therefore, in the future, artificial intelligence must be further developed as an instrument, and its diagnostic performance is expected to improve with the accumulation of numerous cases nationwide.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.3-23
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• 2022

Countries differ in their treatment expertise and research results regarding gastric cancer; hence, treatment guidelines are diverse based on evidence and medical situations. A comprehensive and comparative review of each country's guidelines is imperative to understand the similarities and differences among countries. We reviewed and compared five gastric cancer treatment guidelines in terms of endoscopic, surgical, perioperative, and palliative systemic treatment based on evidence levels and recommendation grades, as well as the postoperative follow-up strategies for each guideline. The Korean, Chinese, and European guidelines provided evidence and grading of the recommendations. The United States guidelines suggested categories for evidence and consensus. The Japanese guidelines suggested evidence and recommendations only for systemic treatment. The Korean and Japanese guidelines described endoscopic treatment, surgery, and lymphadenectomy in detail. The Chinese, United States, and European guidelines more intensively considered perioperative chemotherapy. In particular, the indications for chemotherapy and the regimens recommended by each guideline differed slightly. Considering their medical situations, each guideline had some diversity in terms of adopting evidence, which resulted in heterogeneous recommendations. This review will help medical personnel to comprehensively understand the diversity in gastric cancer treatment guidelines for each country in terms of evidence and recommendations.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.69-81
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• 2018

Purpose: It has been reported that the survival of patients with locally advanced gastric cancer (LAGC) is better in East Asia countries than in developed western countries; however, the prognosis of LAGC remains poor. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of perioperative chemotherapy on the long-term survival of East Asia patients with LAGC. Materials and Methods: From October 2006 through August 2008, 43 patients with LAGC received perioperative S-1 combined with weekly docetaxel in a phase II study (neoadjuvant group). These patients were matched using propensity scores to patients who underwent surgery without neoadjuvant chemotherapy during the same period (surgery group). The surgical outcomes and long-term survivals were compared between the 2 groups. Results: After matching, 43 and 86 patients were included in the neoadjuvant and surgery groups, respectively, and there was no significant difference in their baseline characteristics. Although the operating time was longer in the neoadjuvant group, there was no significant difference in postoperative complications between the 2 groups. The neoadjuvant group had a significantly higher 5-year overall survival (OS) rate (73.3% vs. 51.1%, P=0.005) and a trend towards higher 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) (62.8% vs. 49.9%, P=0.145). In the multivariate analysis, perioperative chemotherapy was an independent factor for OS, with a hazard ratio of 0.4 (P=0.005) and a marginal effect on the PFS (P=0.054). Conclusions: Perioperative chemotherapy was associated with better long-term survival without increasing postoperative complications in the setting of D2 surgery for patients with LAGC, suggesting that perioperative chemotherapy can be a therapeutic option in East Asia countries.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.157-164
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• 2019

Purpose: Although standard radical gastrectomy is recommended after noncurative resection of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for early gastric cancer in most cases, residual tumor and lymph node metastasis have not been identified after surgery. The aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of sentinel node navigation surgery after noncurative ESD. Materials and Methods: This trial is an investigator-initiated, multicenter prospective phase II trial. Patients who underwent ESD for clinical stage T1N0M0 gastric cancer with noncurative resections were eligible. Qualified investigators who completed the prior phase III trial (SENORITA 1) are exclusively allowed to participate. In this study, 2 detection methods will be used: 1) intraoperative endoscopic submucosal injection of dual tracer, including radioisotope and indocyanine green (ICG) with sentinel basins detected using gamma-probe; 2) endoscopic injection of ICG, with sentinel basins detected using a fluorescence imaging system. Standard laparoscopic gastrectomy with lymphadenectomy will be performed. Sample size is calculated based on the inferior confidence interval of the detection rate of 95%, and the calculated accrual is 237 patients. The primary endpoint is detection rate, and the secondary endpoints are sensitivity and postoperative complications. Conclusions: This study is expected to clarify the feasibility of laparoscopic sentinel basin dissection after noncurative ESD. If the feasibility is demonstrated, a multicenter phase III trial will be initiated to compare laparoscopic sentinel node navigation surgery versus laparoscopic standard gastrectomy in early gastric cancer after endoscopic resection.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.203-212
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• 2021

Purpose: The impact of the interval between previous endoscopy and diagnosis on the treatment modality or mortality of undifferentiated (UD)-type gastric cancer is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effect of endoscopic screening interval on the stage, cancer-related mortality, and treatment methods of UD-type gastric cancer. Materials and Methods: We reviewed the medical records of newly diagnosed patients with UD gastric cancer in 2013, in whom the interval between previous endoscopy and diagnosis could be determined. The patients were classified into different groups according to the period from the previous endoscopy to diagnosis (<12 months, 12-23 months, 24-35 months, ≥36 months, and no history of endoscopy), and the outcomes were compared between the groups. In addition, patients who underwent endoscopic and surgical treatment were reclassified based on the final treatment results. Results: The number of enrolled patients was 440, with males representing 64.1% of the study population; 11.8% of the participants reported that they had undergone endoscopy for the first time in their cancer diagnosis. The percentage of stage I cancer at diagnosis significantly decreased as the interval from the previous endoscopy to diagnosis increased (65.4%, 63.2%, 64.2%, 45.9%, and 35.2% for intervals of <12 months, 12-23 months, 24-35 months, ≥36 months, and no previous endoscopy, respectively, P<0.01). Cancer-related mortality was significantly lower for a 3-year interval of endoscopy (P<0.001). Conclusions: A 3-year interval of endoscopic screening reduces gastric-cancer-related mortality, particularly in cases of UD histology.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.49-54
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• 2010

Endoscopic resection is now accepted as curative treatment modalities for early gastric cancer without lymph node metastasis. However, based on large-scaled data about the risk of lymph node metastasis in early gastric cancer and as a result of the technical development of endoscopic devices, it was suggested that the criteria for endoscopic resection should be extended. According to the treatment guidelines for gastric cancer in Japan, the extended indications include the following: differentiated-type mucosal cancer without ulceration and greater than 2 cm in diameter, differentiated-type mucosal cancer with ulceration and up to 3 cm in diameter, undifferentiated-type mucosal cancer without ulceration and up to 2 cm in diameter, and, in the absence of lymphovascular invasion, a tumor not deeper than submucosal level 1 (less than $500\;{\mu}m$). In this review, we discuss the evidence of the application of expanded endoscopic indication based on analysis of biologic behavior and data of endoscopic resection.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.528-533
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• 2009

Gastric cancer is common cancer generating about 20% incidence in Korea. But Oriental medical doctor (OMD) often can't measure therapy on gastric cancer positively because that the prognosis on it is not good. It is impossible the results on all of diseases not only gastric cancer always to have to be good. It is required to find out the causes of diseases and therapy method to conquest the diseases for the medical therapy. But because the results on medical therapy are not always good, it is necessary for the doctor who want to treat the diseases like gastric cancer having the prognosis to be death to protect himself, like as the legal system, a medical policy. And consequently, this protecting legal system lead the medical therapy principle or method on some special diseases to therapy completion on it. As a results of policy, medical therapy have to be developed. It is studied the literature referencing gastric cancer, experimental articles to insist the effects of Oriental medicine planet to gastric cancer and the clinical cases on gastric cancer to be treated as Oriental medicine therapy to have effects. Recently, there have been many other development in oriental medical therapy. This development can be grouped as two type. One type is clinical part and the other is experimental research part. Specially the experimental research and clinical research on gastric cancer in oriental medical therapy have been developed. So the present day is the time to make medical policy on liver cancer for OMD to measure oriental medical therapy and develop oriental medical theory. As a above results, we propose that the name of gastric cancer have to use in Korean medicine security clinical name (한방의료보험상병명) to make oriental medical policy.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.99-107
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• 2024

Gastric cancer has been consistently decreasing worldwide, whereas cardia gastric cancer is on the rise. This indicates that the exposure rates to epidemiological causes are changing. In this study, we aim to review the risk factors for gastric cancer with respect to cardia and non-cardia types. One of the most significant risk factors for gastric cancer is Helicobacter pylori infection. H. pylori infection is known as a risk factor for non-cardia gastric cancer, and there have been results indicating that H. pylori infection is not associated with cardia gastric cancer. However, in the East Asian region, there is epidemiological evidence suggesting that H. pylori infection might be a risk factor for cardia gastric cancer. Smoking and alcohol consumption are known risk factors for gastric cancer, regardless of anatomical location. Obesity is considered a factor in the development of cardia gastric cancer. However, further research is needed to understand the specific relationship with non-cardia gastric cancer. The consumption of high-salt and processed meat is more distinctly associated with noncardia gastric cancer than in cardia gastric cancer. In addition to these factors, exposure to chemicals and radiation are considered risk factors for gastric cancer. Primary prevention of gastric cancer involves eliminating or avoiding risk factors such as H. pylori eradication and adopting a healthy lifestyle, including quitting smoking, reducing alcohol consumption, maintaining a healthy weight, and having a low-salt diet.