Gastric cancer: Epidemiology, risk factors and prevention strategies

Lei Yang; Xiangji Ying; Shuo Liu; Guoqing Lyu; Zekuan Xu; Xi Zhang; Huichao Li; Qingyu Li; Ning Wang; Jiafu Ji

doi:10.21147/j.issn.1000-9604.2020.06.03

Gastric cancer: Epidemiology, risk factors and prevention strategies

Chin J Cancer Res. 2020 Dec 31;32(6):695-704. doi: 10.21147/j.issn.1000-9604.2020.06.03.

Authors

Lei Yang¹, Xiangji Ying², Shuo Liu¹, Guoqing Lyu³, Zekuan Xu⁴, Xi Zhang¹, Huichao Li¹, Qingyu Li¹, Ning Wang¹, Jiafu Ji²

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Beijing Office for Cancer Prevention and Control, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing 100142, China.
² Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Center of Gastrointestinal Cancer, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing 100142, China.
³ Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen 518036, China.
⁴ Department of General Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Personalized Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China.

PMID: 33446993
PMCID: PMC7797232
DOI: 10.21147/j.issn.1000-9604.2020.06.03

Abstract

Gastric cancer (GC) is a global health problem, with more than 1 million people newly diagnosed with GC worldwide each year. GC is more prevalent in less developed countries than in more developed countries. About half of all GC cases worldwide occur in East Asia, notably China. Globally, overall incidence rates of GC are declining, which is potentially attributed to a decrease in Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection and the use of refrigeration to preserve foods rather than salt. GC is a multifactorial disease, and its occurrence and development were impacted by environmental and genetic factors. H. pylori infection is the primary risk factor for GC, especially for non-cardia. The prognosis of GC is poor due to stages at the first diagnosis. The 5-year survival rate is less than 10% when patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage, but the rate is as high as 85% if patients are detected at an earlier stage. Endoscopic screening can potentially prevent GC by early diagnosis and early treatment and has been widely adopted in screening programs in East Asian countries, such as Japan and Korea. This review summarizes updated epidemiological aspects, risk factors, and prevention strategies of GC in recent years to help researchers determine the most effective intervention strategies for reducing risk of GC.

Keywords: Gastric cancer; epidemiology; prevention strategy; risk factor.