| Theme |
Gastric Cancer Screening -- Present Status and Uprising High-risk Strategy |
| Title |
Epidemiology and the Natural History of Gastric Cancer in Japan in Relation to Screening |
| Author |
Yoshiyuki Watanabe |
Department of Epidemiology for Community Health and Medicine, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine Graduate School of Medical Science |
| [ Summary ] |
Though both mortality rates and incidence from gastric cancer have been decreasing, this cancer is still one of the most prevalent in Japan. The rates increase with ageing. Half of early stage gastric cancer, the detectable pre-clinical phase of the gastric cancer, will develop to the advanced stage. The point prevalence of early stage gastric cancer is considered to be three times that of the incidence of early stage gastric cancer. The relative 5 year survival rate for early stage gastric cancer was over 96 %. These factors justify national screening for gastric cancer in Japan. |