Abstract
In Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture, we introduced a local gastric cancer screening system based on risk evaluation for gastric cancer (ABC classification) into our system for population-based gastric cancer screening in 2011. During the 3 years from 2011 to 2013, there were a total of 14,476 health checkup examinees. Among them, 3,089 received gastric cancer screening (rate of test recipient: 21.3%). The conventional Group B in the ABC classification was sub-classified into Group B-1 (PGII<30ng/ml) and Group B-2 (PGII>=30ng/ml). Thus we defined Group B-2 and Group C as high risk groups. The total number of cases in Group B-2 and Group C was 1,053 (34.1%), and the rate of secondary test recipients was 41.8%. As a result, during the 3-year period 8 cases was detected as suffering from early gastric cancer (M cancer: 7 cases, SM cancer: 1 case). Using the ABC classification, 1 case was classified as Group B-1, 1 case as Group B-2 and 6 cases as Group C.
The results suggest that the ABC classification-based gastric cancer screening is a useful examination system for effectively detecting early gastric cancer. The only drawback might be the low consultation rate of close examination in high risk groups. It is necessary to raise the awareness of the inhabitants about the importance of risk evaluation for gastric cancer. Unlike the conventional cancer screening system, this screening system does not cover a single year and spans several years. Therefore, a new management system should be developed for this screening to cover a span of years.
