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Li J, Pan J, Xiao D, Shen N, Wang R, Miao H, Pu P, Zhang H, Yv X, Xing L. Chronic atrophic gastritis and risk of incident upper gastrointestinal cancers: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Transl Med 2024; 22:429. [PMID: 38711123 PMCID: PMC11075312 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04736-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous literature has explored the relationship between chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) and isolated cancers within the upper gastrointestinal cancers; However, an integrative synthesis across the totality of upper gastrointestinal cancers was conspicuously absent. The research objective was to assess the relationship between CAG and the risk of incident upper gastrointestinal cancers, specifically including gastric cancer, oesophageal cancer, and oesophagogastric junction cancer. METHODS Rigorous systematic searches were conducted across three major databases, namely PubMed, Embase and Web of Science, encompassing the timeline from database inception until August 10, 2023. We extracted the necessary odds ratio (OR) and their corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) for subsequent meta-analysis. Statistical analyses were conducted using Stata 17.0 software. RESULTS This meta-analysis included a total of 23 articles encompassing 5858 patients diagnosed with upper gastrointestinal cancers. CAG resulted in a statistically significant 4.12-fold elevated risk of incident gastric cancer (OR = 4.12, 95% CI 3.20-5.30). Likewise, CAG was linked to a 2.08-fold increased risk of incident oesophageal cancer (OR = 2.08, 95%CI 1.60-2.72). Intriguingly, a specific correlation was found between CAG and the risk of incident oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (OR = 2.29, 95%CI 1.77-2.95), while no significant association was detected for oesophageal adenocarcinoma (OR = 0.62, 95%CI 0.17-2.26). Moreover, CAG was correlated with a 2.77-fold heightened risk of oesophagogastric junction cancer (OR = 2.77, 95%CI 2.21-3.46). Notably, for the same type of upper gastrointestinal cancer, it was observed that diagnosing CAG through histological methods was linked to a 33-77% higher risk of developing cancer compared to diagnosing CAG through serological methods. CONCLUSION This meta-analysis indicated a two- to fourfold increased risk of gastric cancer, oesophageal cancer, and oesophagogastric junction cancer in patients with CAG. Importantly, for the same upper gastrointestinal cancer, the risk of incident cancer was higher when CAG was diagnosed histologically compared to serological diagnosis. Further rigorous study designs are required to explore the impact of CAG diagnosed through both diagnostic methods on the risk of upper gastrointestinal cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junqiu Li
- Department II of Digestive Diseases, Longhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Jielu Pan
- Department II of Digestive Diseases, Longhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Dinghong Xiao
- Department II of Digestive Diseases, Longhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Nan Shen
- Department II of Digestive Diseases, Longhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Ruiqing Wang
- Department II of Digestive Diseases, Longhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Hongyv Miao
- Department II of Digestive Diseases, Longhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Peimin Pu
- Department II of Digestive Diseases, Longhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Haiyan Zhang
- Department II of Digestive Diseases, Longhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Xiao Yv
- Department II of Digestive Diseases, Longhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Lianjun Xing
- Department II of Digestive Diseases, Longhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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Rugge M, Genta RM, Malfertheiner P, Dinis-Ribeiro M, El-Serag H, Graham DY, Kuipers EJ, Leung WK, Park JY, Rokkas T, Schulz C, El-Omar EM. RE.GA.IN.: the Real-world Gastritis Initiative-updating the updates. Gut 2024; 73:407-441. [PMID: 38383142 DOI: 10.1136/gutjnl-2023-331164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
At the end of the last century, a far-sighted 'working party' held in Sydney, Australia addressed the clinicopathological issues related to gastric inflammatory diseases. A few years later, an international conference held in Houston, Texas, USA critically updated the seminal Sydney classification. In line with these initiatives, Kyoto Global Consensus Report, flanked by the Maastricht-Florence conferences, added new clinical evidence to the gastritis clinicopathological puzzle.The most relevant topics related to the gastric inflammatory diseases have been addressed by the Real-world Gastritis Initiative (RE.GA.IN.), from disease definitions to the clinical diagnosis and prognosis. This paper reports the conclusions of the RE.GA.IN. consensus process, which culminated in Venice in November 2022 after more than 8 months of intense global scientific deliberations. A forum of gastritis scholars from five continents participated in the multidisciplinary RE.GA.IN. consensus. After lively debates on the most controversial aspects of the gastritis spectrum, the RE.GA.IN. Faculty amalgamated complementary knowledge to distil patient-centred, evidence-based statements to assist health professionals in their real-world clinical practice. The sections of this report focus on: the epidemiology of gastritis; Helicobacter pylori as dominant aetiology of environmental gastritis and as the most important determinant of the gastric oncogenetic field; the evolving knowledge on gastric autoimmunity; the clinicopathological relevance of gastric microbiota; the new diagnostic horizons of endoscopy; and the clinical priority of histologically reporting gastritis in terms of staging. The ultimate goal of RE.GA.IN. was and remains the promotion of further improvement in the clinical management of patients with gastritis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Massimo Rugge
- Department of Medicine-DIMED, University of Padova, Padua, Italy
- Azienda Zero, Veneto Tumour Registry, Padua, Italy
| | - Robert M Genta
- Gastrointestinal Pathology, Inform Diagnostics Research Institute, Dallas, Texas, USA
- Pathology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Peter Malfertheiner
- Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II, Ludwig Maximilian Universität Klinikum München, Munich, Germany
- Klinik für Gastroenterologie, Hepatologie und Infektiologie, Otto-von-Guericke Universität Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Mario Dinis-Ribeiro
- Porto Comprehensive Cancer Center & RISE@CI-IPO, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Gastroenterology Department, Portuguese Institute of Oncology of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Hashem El-Serag
- Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
- Houston VA Health Services Research & Development Center of Excellence, Michael E DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - David Y Graham
- Department of Medicine, Michael E DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Ernst J Kuipers
- Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Jin Young Park
- International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France
| | - Theodore Rokkas
- Gastroenterology, Henry Dunant Hospital Center, Athens, Greece
| | | | - Emad M El-Omar
- Microbiome Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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Adams A, Gandhi A, In H. Gastric cancer: A unique opportunity to shift the paradigm of cancer disparities in the United States. Curr Probl Surg 2023; 60:101382. [PMID: 37993211 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpsurg.2023.101382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Adams
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey.
| | - Atish Gandhi
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey
| | - Haejin In
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey; Department of Health Behavior, Society and Policy, Rutgers School of Public Health, New Brunswick, New Jersey
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Irie T, Yamada H, Takeuchi C, Liu YY, Charvat H, Shimazu T, Ando T, Maekita T, Abe S, Takamaru H, Kodama M, Murakami K, Sugimoto K, Sakamoto K, Ushijima T. The methylation level of a single cancer risk marker gene reflects methylation burden in gastric mucosa. Gastric Cancer 2023; 26:667-676. [PMID: 37219707 DOI: 10.1007/s10120-023-01399-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gastric cancer risk can be accurately predicted by measuring the methylation level of a single marker gene in gastric mucosa. However, the mechanism is still uncertain. We hypothesized that the methylation level measured reflects methylation alterations in the entire genome (methylation burden), induced by Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection, and thus cancer risk. METHODS Gastric mucosa of 15 healthy volunteers without H. pylori infection (G1), 98 people with atrophic gastritis (G2), and 133 patients with gastric cancer (G3) after H. pylori eradication were collected. Methylation burden of an individual was obtained by microarray analysis as an inverse of the correlation coefficient between the methylation levels of 265,552 genomic regions in the person's gastric mucosa and those in an entirely healthy mucosa. RESULTS The methylation burden significantly increased in the order of G1 (n = 4), G2 (n = 18), and G3 (n = 19) and was well correlated with the methylation level of a single marker gene (r = 0.91 for miR124a-3). The average methylation levels of nine driver genes tended to increase according to the risk levels (P = 0.08 between G2 vs G3) and was also correlated with the methylation level of a single marker gene (r = 0.94). Analysis of more samples (14 G1, 97 G2, and 131 G3 samples) yielded significant increases of the average methylation levels between risk groups. CONCLUSIONS The methylation level of a single marker gene reflects the methylation burden, which includes driver gene methylation, and thus accurately predicts cancer risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takahiro Irie
- Department of Epigenomics, Institute for Advanced Life Sciences, Hoshi University, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Coloproctological Surgery, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Harumi Yamada
- Department of Epigenomics, Institute for Advanced Life Sciences, Hoshi University, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Surgery, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Chihiro Takeuchi
- Department of Epigenomics, Institute for Advanced Life Sciences, Hoshi University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yu-Yu Liu
- Department of Epigenomics, Institute for Advanced Life Sciences, Hoshi University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hadrien Charvat
- Faculty of International Liberal Arts, Juntendo University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Taichi Shimazu
- Division of Behavioral Sciences, National Cancer Center Institute for Cancer Control, National Cancer Center, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takayuki Ando
- Third Department of Internal Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Takao Maekita
- Second Department of Internal Medicine, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan
| | - Seiichiro Abe
- Endoscopy Division, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | - Masaaki Kodama
- Department of Gastroenterology Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, Oita, Japan
| | - Kazunari Murakami
- Department of Gastroenterology Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, Oita, Japan
| | - Kiichi Sugimoto
- Department of Coloproctological Surgery, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazuhiro Sakamoto
- Department of Coloproctological Surgery, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Toshikazu Ushijima
- Department of Epigenomics, Institute for Advanced Life Sciences, Hoshi University, Tokyo, Japan.
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Qin Y, Geng JX, Huang B. Clinical value of serum pepsinogen in the diagnosis and treatment of gastric diseases. World J Gastrointest Oncol 2023; 15:1174-1181. [PMID: 37546552 PMCID: PMC10401465 DOI: 10.4251/wjgo.v15.i7.1174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 05/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Pepsinogen, secreted from the gastric mucosa, is the precursor of pepsin. It is categorized as pepsinogen 1 and pepsinogen 2 based on its immunogenicity. The pepsinogen content that can enter the blood circulation through the capillaries of the gastric mucosa is approximately 1% and remains stable all the time. The pepsinogen content in serum will change with the pathological changes of gastric mucosa. Therefore, the level of pepsinogen in serum can play a role in serologic biopsy to reflect the function and morphology of different regions of gastric mucosa and serve as an indicator of gastric disease. This study conducts relevant research on serum pepsinogen 1, pepsinogen 2, and the ratio of pepsinogen 1 to pepsinogen 2, and reviews their important value in clinical diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection, gastric ulcer, and even gastric carcinoma, providing ideas for other researchers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Qin
- College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Jia-Xin Geng
- College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Biao Huang
- College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, Zhejiang Province, China
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Huang RJ, Laszkowska M, In H, Hwang JH, Epplein M. Controlling Gastric Cancer in a World of Heterogeneous Risk. Gastroenterology 2023; 164:736-751. [PMID: 36706842 PMCID: PMC10270664 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2023.01.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Gastric cancer (GC) is a leading cause of global mortality but also a cancer whose footprint is highly unequal. This review aims to define global disease epidemiology, critically appraise strategies of prevention and disease attenuation, and assess how these strategies could be applied to improve outcomes from GC in a world of variable risk and disease burden. Strategies of primary prevention focus on improving the detection and eradication of the main environmental risk factor, Helicobacter pylori. In certain countries of high incidence, endoscopic or radiographic screening of the asymptomatic general population has been adopted as a means of secondary prevention. By contrast, identification and targeted surveillance of individuals with precancerous lesions (such as intestinal metaplasia) is being increasingly embraced in nations of low incidence. This review also highlights existing knowledge gaps in GC prevention as well as the role of emerging technologies for early detection and risk stratification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert J Huang
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California.
| | - Monika Laszkowska
- Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition Service, Department of Subspecialty Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Haejin In
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey
| | - Joo Ha Hwang
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Meira Epplein
- Duke University, Department of Population Health Sciences, and Cancer Risk, Detection, and Interception Program, Duke Cancer Institute, Durham, North Carolina
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Januszewicz W, Turkot MH, Malfertheiner P, Regula J. A Global Perspective on Gastric Cancer Screening: Which Concepts Are Feasible, and When? Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15030664. [PMID: 36765621 PMCID: PMC9913879 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15030664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gastric cancer (GC) remains the fifth most common cancer and the third most common cause of cancer-related death globally. In 2022, GC fell into the scope of the updated EU recommendations for targeted cancer screening. Given the growing awareness of the GC burden, we aimed to review the existing screening strategies for GC in high-risk regions and discuss potentially applicable modalities in countries with low-to-intermediate incidence. METHODS The references for this Review article were identified through searches of PubMed with the search terms "gastric cancer", "stomach cancer", "Helicobacter pylori", and "screening" over the period from 1995 until August 2022. RESULTS As Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)-induced gastritis is the primary step in the development of GC, the focus on GC prevention may be directed toward testing for and treating this infection. Such a strategy may be appealing in countries with low- and intermediate- GC incidence. Other biomarker-based approaches to identify at-risk individuals in such regions are being evaluated. Within high-incidence areas, both primary endoscopic screening and population-based H. pylori "test-and-treat" strategies represent cost-effective models. CONCLUSIONS Given the significant variations in GC incidence and healthcare resources around the globe, screening strategies for GC should be adjusted to the actual conditions in each region. While several proven tools exist for accurate GC diagnosis, a universal modality for the screening of GC populations remains elusive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wladyslaw Januszewicz
- Department of Oncological Gastroenterology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, 02-781 Warsaw, Poland
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Clinical Oncology, Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education, 02-781 Warsaw, Poland
- Correspondence:
| | - Maryla Helena Turkot
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Clinical Oncology, Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education, 02-781 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Peter Malfertheiner
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Infectious Diseases, Otto-von-Guericke University, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Jaroslaw Regula
- Department of Oncological Gastroenterology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, 02-781 Warsaw, Poland
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Clinical Oncology, Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education, 02-781 Warsaw, Poland
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Lin XK, Wang WL. Analysis of high risk factors for chronic atrophic gastritis. Saudi J Gastroenterol 2022; 29:127-134. [PMID: 36588366 DOI: 10.4103/sjg.sjg_383_22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Screening for chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) is crucial for the prevention and early detection of gastric cancer. Endoscopy is the main method of CAG diagnosis, with high training requirements and limited accuracy, making it difficult to popularize. The study attempts to improve the positive rate and accuracy of CAG screening through non-invasive testing. METHODS A total of 2564 patients who underwent gastroscopy were included in this study. The results of gastroscopic evaluation, histological biopsy results (including H. pylori biopsy), urea breath test (UBT) results, serum pepsinogen, and testosterone were statistically analyzed. RESULTS We found significant differences in the diagnosis of CAG between endoscopy and histological biopsy. Pepsinogen II and pepsinogen I/II ratio were more useful for the diagnosis of CAG compared with pepsinogen I. The risk of CAG was increased when pepsinogen II exceeded 11.05 μg/L, and the pepsinogen I/II ratio was less than 3.75. CAG positivity was higher in patients with positive H. pylori infection on UBT screening. In addition, higher levels of testosterone, SHBG and HSD17B2, and lower level of GNRH1 were found in CAG mucosa. Patients with high serum testosterone had a higher risk of CAG. CONCLUSION CAG screening should be combined with endoscopic evaluation, biopsy, and other non-invasive tests. Non-invasive tests include the combination of serum pepsinogen II protein and pepsinogen I/II ratio and high level of serum testosterone. UBT combined with serum pepsinogen testing may improve the positive rate of CAG and reduce gastric mucosal damage from multiple biopsies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xian-Ke Lin
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Wei-Lin Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine; Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment for Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Tumor of Zhejiang Province; Research Center of Diagnosis and Treatment Technology for Hepatocellular Carcinoma of Zhejiang Province; Clinical Medicine Innovation Center of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment for Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Disease of Zhejiang University; Clinical Research Center of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province; Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
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Zhou MJ, Huang RJ. Catching Up with the World: Pepsinogen Screening for Gastric Cancer in the United States. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2022; 31:1257-1258. [PMID: 35775231 DOI: 10.1158/1055-9965.epi-22-0372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2022] [Revised: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Gastric cancer remains a deadly cancer with poor outcomes in the United States. There is a need for screening strategies for gastric cancer in the U.S. population. With progressive Helicobacter pylori-mediated inflammation of the gastric mucosa, pepsinogen I levels decrease and the pepsinogen I/II ratio decreases. Pepsinogen test positivity (PG+) has been evaluated as a promising screening test among Asian and European populations; however, its utility in multiethnic U.S. populations is poorly described. In this case-control study nested within the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial, In and colleagues evaluate the discrimination of PG+ in serum collected from individuals prior to the development of gastric cancer. The authors find that PG+ individuals were at nearly 10-fold increased risk for developing gastric cancer, and this effect remained robust after adjusting for Helicobacter pylori status, family history, education, smoking, and obesity. In subgroup analysis, the predictive ability of the test was particularly robust for noncardia gastric cancers, and nonpredictive of cardia gastric cancers. Serum pepsinogen testing holds promise as a noninvasive screening strategy to triage individuals at heightened risk for gastric cancer, and may help to improve early diagnosis in the United States. See related article by In et al., p. 1426.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret J Zhou
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Redwood City, California
| | - Robert J Huang
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Redwood City, California
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