The risk of gastric cancer in patients with gastric intestinal metaplasia in 5-year follow-up.

BACKGROUND: Gastric intestinal metaplasia (GIM) is the premalignant stage of gastric cancer; however, consensus on its management has not been established. AIM: To determine the risk factors for gastric cancer in a population of patients with GIM to guide the appropriate clinical recommendations in a low prevalence area for gastric cancer. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study. Ninety-one patients with GIM diagnosed between 2004 and 2014 were recruited for surveillance EGD every 6-12 months until a diagnosis of gastric cancer or completion of the planned 5-year follow-up duration. Possible risk factors for gastric cancer were assessed. RESULTS: At initial presentation, 81 of the 91 patients (89%) had complete GIM, whereas the remaining 11% had a study entry diagnosis of incomplete GIM. No cancer developed amongst patients with complete GIM. In contrast, five of the 10 patients exhibiting incomplete GIM (50%) progressed to high-grade dysplasia (n=2) or cancer (n=3). Male gender (P=.027), and incomplete GIM (P=.001) were associated with high-risk histology (dysplasia or cancer) by study end. A trend suggested a possible association with smoking (P=.08). CONCLUSION: Male patients and those with incomplete GIM are at greatest risk of developing dysplasia or early gastric cancer. Further studies in determining optimal surveillance intervals and impact on cancer incidence and mortality are still required.

Development of an E-learning System for the Endoscopic Diagnosis of Early Gastric Cancer: An International Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: In many countries, gastric cancer is not diagnosed until an advanced stage. An Internet-based e-learning system to improve the ability of endoscopists to diagnose gastric cancer at an early stage was developed and was evaluated for its effectiveness. METHODS: The study was designed as a randomized controlled trial. After receiving a pre-test, participants were randomly allocated to either an e-learning or non-e-learning group. Only those in the e-learning group gained access to the e-learning system. Two months after the pre-test, both groups received a post-test. The primary endpoint was the difference between the two groups regarding the rate of improvement of their test results. FINDINGS: 515 endoscopists from 35 countries were assessed for eligibility, and 332 were enrolled in the study, with 166 allocated to each group. Of these, 151 participants in the e-learning group and 144 in the non-e-learning group were included in the analysis. The mean improvement rate (standard deviation) in the e-learning and non-e-learning groups was 1·24 (0·26) and 1·00 (0·16), respectively (P<0·001). INTERPRETATION: This global study clearly demonstrated the efficacy of an e-learning system to expand knowledge and provide invaluable experience regarding the endoscopic detection of early gastric cancer (R000012039).