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Gut doi:10.1136/gut.2007.127167

Epidemiological trends of pre-malignant gastric lesions; a long-term nationwide study in the Netherlands

  1. A C de Vries (a.c.devries{at}erasmusmc.nl)
  1. Erasmus University Medical Center, Netherlands
    1. G A Meijer (ga.meijer{at}vumc.nl)
    1. VU University Medical Centre, Netherlands
      1. C WN Looman (c.looman{at}erasmusmc.nl)
      1. Erasmus University Medical Center, Netherlands
        1. M K Casparie (mariel.casparie{at}prismant.nl)
        1. Prismant, Netherlands
          1. B E Hansen (b.hansen{at}erasmusmc.nl)
          1. Erasmus University Medical Center, Netherlands
            1. N CT van Grieken (nct.vangrieken{at}vumc.nl)
            1. VU University Medical Centre, Netherlands
              1. E J Kuipers (e.j.kuipers{at}erasmusmc.nl)
              1. Erasmus University Medical Center, Netherlands
                • Published Online First 14 August 2007

                Abstract

                Background: Pre-malignant gastric lesions, i.e. atrophic gastritis (AG), intestinal metaplasia (IM) and dysplasia (DYS), have long been identified as principal risk factors for gastric cancer.

                Objective: To evaluate epidemiological time trends of pre-malignant gastric lesions in the Netherlands.

                Methods: Patients with a first diagnosis of AG, IM or DYS between 1991 and 2005 were identified in the Dutch nationwide histopathology registry . We evaluated the number of new diagnoses per year relative to the total number of patients with a first gastric biopsy. Time trends were evaluated with age-period-cohort models using logistic regression analysis.

                Results: 23.278 patients were newly diagnosed with AG, 65.937 patients with IM, and 8.517 patients with DYS. The incidence of AG declined similarly in men and women with 8.2% per year [95% CI 7.9 - 8.6], and DYS with 8.1% per year [95% CI 7.5-8.6]. The proportional number of new IM cases declined with 2.9% per year [95% CI 2.7-3.1] in males and 2.4% [95% CI 2.2-2.6] in females. With age-period-cohort models a cohort phenomenon was demonstrated for all categories of pre-malignant gastric lesions in males and in females with IM and DYS. Period phenomena with a larger decline in number of diagnoses after 1996 were also demonstrated for AG and IM.

                Conclusions: The incidence of pre-malignant gastric lesions is declining. Period and cohort phenomena were demonstrated for diagnoses of AG and IM. These findings imply that a further decrease of at least 24% in the incidence of gastric cancer in the coming decade may be anticipated in Western countries without specific intervention.

                This Article

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                  1. gut.2007.127167v1
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