Gastric cancer risk assessment based on serum pepsinogen / Монголын Анагаах Ухаан

ABSTRACT

Introduction@#Cases of gastric cancer have been declining worldwide in recent years. However, gastric cancer incidence increased in the last decade in Mongolia. In Mongolia, over 80% of gastric cancer cases are diagnosed during the late stage. Several studies have revealed that serum pepsinogens (PGs) level reflects, indirectly, histological and functional characteristics of the gastric mucosa.@*Goal@#We aimed to evaluate the risk of gastric cancer and its precancerous condition based on serum PGI, PGI/II biomarkers.@*Materials and Methods@#This case-control study enrolled 114 subjects, including patients with gastric cancer (n=36), atrophic gastritis (n=40) and healthy controls (n=138). The questionnaires were obtained to determine risk factors. Serum PGI, PGII, and H. pylori IgG levels were measured by ELISA (Pepsinogen I ELISA; Pepsinogen II ELISA; H.Pylori IgG ELISA; BIOHIT Plc, Helsinki, Finland). PGI to PGII ratio was calculated. Patients were classified into the ABC(D) group according to Miki K approach. Also, we developed new scoring system based on some risk factors and serum PGI, PGI/II ratio. Logistic regressions were performed to evaluate risk and expressed by odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI).@*Results@#Mean age of the subjects was 60±10.9 years. H.Pylori was positive in 67 subjects. The serum PGI and PGI/II ratio levels were significantly decreased in gastric cancer and atrophic gastritis groups compared to the healthy control. According to classification ABC(D), group D (OR 5.04, 95% CI 1.13-22.50) had higher proportion of atrophic gastritis cases, group C (OR 6.19, 95% CI 1.04-36.78) had higher proportion of gastric cancer cases than others. Additionally, we created a risk prediction scoring system with a score ranging from 0 to 7, based on variables age, family history of gastric cancer, prior disease history, PGI and PGI/II ratio levels. For the atrophic gastritis patients, 17 (42.5%) were classified into medium-risk category (OR 4.49, 95% CI 1.38-14.58) and 17 (42.5%) were classified into high-risk category (OR 7.69, 95% CI 2.16-27.43). Whereas, 11 (30.6%) patients with gastric cancer were classified into medium-risk category (OR 4.35, 95% CI 1.13-16.85), 21 (58.3%) were classified into high-risk category (OR 14.25, 95% CI 3.60-56.43).@*Conclusion@#The methods based on serum PGI and PGI/II may identify a high risk population of gastric cancer and atrophic gastritis.