[Gastric cancer screening in Japan, now and tomorrow]

Abstract

The screening rate of gastric cancer in the population surveyed by Japanese government was 34.3% in 2010. The rates differed by medical insurance holders: 60-70% in the big-company insurances; 32% in the national government-assisted small-company insurances; 10% in the local government-assisted non-company individual insurances and the dependents of any insurance holders. The only method of gastric cancer mass screening that Japanese government approves now is sodium bicarbonate-barium X-ray examination. The rate diagnosed as gastric cancer in the system was 0.088% in 2009. A new strategy using serum tests for pepsinogens and Helicobacter pylori-antibody has been proposed. Test and eradication may be the best method for screening high-risk subjects and primary prevention of gastric cancer, and the subsequent cancer screening.