title: Periodic Endoscopies Might Not Increase the Detection of Early Gastric Cancer in a Young Population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Screening endoscopies in individuals 40 years or older in regions where gastric cancer is prevalent increase the diagnosis of gastric cancer at an early stage. However, the benefits of screening endoscopies in a young population (<40 years) have not been evaluated.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed data from patients less than 40 years old who underwent endoscopic submucosal dissection or surgery for initial-onset gastric cancer. We also administered a questionnaire to gather information concerning periodic endoscopic inspections and the period from the penultimate endoscopy to diagnosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 564 patients in this study, 101 (17.9%) patients underwent screening endoscopy within 24 months of their gastric cancer diagnosis. Lesion size was significantly smaller in the ≤24 months group than in the >24 month group (23.8 mm [standard deviation, 22.2 mm] vs. 30.5 mm [standard deviation, 23.1 mm], P = 0.008). However, the proportion of patients with early gastric cancer did not differ between the two groups (≤24 months vs. >24 months group; 67.6% vs. 65.7%, P = 0.712). On multivariable analysis, periodic endoscopies did not influence the early diagnosis of gastric cancer (with >24 months as the reference group: ≤24 months, odds ratio = 0.939, 95% confidence interval = 0.583-1.513).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although periodic endoscopies aided in the detection of gastric cancer when lesions were smaller in size, they seemed not to increase the proportion of patients with early gastric cancer in young patients diagnosed with resectable gastric cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Hanyang University Guri Hospital, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Guri, Korea.
authors.forename: Chan Hyuk
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Severance Hospital, Institute of Gastroenterology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Eun Hye
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Severance Hospital, Institute of Gastroenterology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyunsoo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Severance Hospital, Institute of Gastroenterology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jun Chul
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Severance Hospital, Institute of Gastroenterology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sung Kwan
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Severance Hospital, Institute of Gastroenterology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Yong Chan
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Ji Yeong
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: An
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyoung-Il
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jae-Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Cheong
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Woo Jin
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Hyung
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sung Hoon
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Noh
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Choong Bae
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Severance Hospital, Institute of Gastroenterology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Kil
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0721-0364
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D005773:Gastroscopy / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010641:Phenotype; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013997:Time Factors