Effectiveness of serological markers of gastric mucosal atrophy in the gastric precancer screening and in cancer prevention

BACKGROUND New markers are needed to improve the effectiveness of serological screening for atrophic gastritis.AIM To develop a cost-effective method for serological screening of atrophic gastritis with a high level of sensitivity.METHODS Of the 169 patients with atrophic gastritis,selected by the visual endoscopic Kimura-Takemoto method,165 showed histological mucosal atrophy using the updated Kimura-Takemoto method.All 169 patients were examined for postprandial levels of gastrin-17(G17)and pepsinogen-1(PG1)using Gastro-Panel®(Biohit Plc,Helsinki,Finland).RESULTS We used the histological standard of five biopsies of the gastric mucosa,in accordance with the Kimura-Takemoto classification system to assess the sensitivity of G17 in detecting gastric mucosal atrophy.We also compared the morphofunctional relationships between the detected histological degree of gastric mucosal atrophy and the serological levels of G17 and PG1,as the markers of atrophic gastritis.The sensitivity of postprandial G17 was 62.2%for serological levels of G17(range:0-4 pmol/L)and 100%for serological G17(range:0-10 pmol/L)for the detection of monofocal severe atrophic gastritis.No strong correlation was found between the levels of PG1 and degree of histological atrophy determined by the Kimura-Takemoto classification system to identify the severity of mucosal atrophy of the gastric corpus.In the presented clinical case of a 63-year-old man with multifocal atrophic gastritis,there is a pronounced positive long-term dynamics of the serological marker of atrophy-postprandial G17,after five months of rennet replacement therapy.CONCLUSION Serological screening of multifocal atrophic gastritis by assessment of postprandial G17 is a cost-effective method with high sensitivity.Postprandial G17 is an earlier marker of regression of atrophic gastritis than a morphological examination of a gastric biopsy in accordance with the Sydney system.Therefore,postprandial G17 is recommended for dynamic monitoring of atrophic gastritis after treatment.

Cancer risk stratification system and classification of gastritis:Perspectives

Kyoto global consensus reports that the current ICD-10 classification for gastritis is obsolete.The Kyoto classification of gastritis states that severe mucosal atrophy has a high risk of gastric cancer,while mild to moderate atrophy has a low risk.The updated Kimura-Takemoto classification of atrophic gastritis considers five histological types of multifocal corpus atrophic gastritis according to stages C2 to O3.This method of morphological diagnosis of atrophic gastritis increases sensitivity by 2.4 times for severe atrophy compared to the updated Sydney system.This advantage should be considered when stratifying the high risk of gastric cancer.The updated Kimura-Takemoto classification of atrophic gastritis should be used as a reference standard(gold standard)in studies of morphofunctional relationships to identify serological markers of atrophic gastritis with evidence-based effectiveness.The use of artificial intelligence in the serological screening of atrophic gastritis makes it possible to screen a large number of the population.During serological screening of atrophic gastritis and risk stratification of gastric cancer,it is advisable to use the Kyoto classification of gastritis with updated Kimura-Takemoto classification of atrophic gastritis.

Updated Kimura-Takemoto classification of atrophic gastritis

BACKGROUND The Updated Sydney system for visual evaluation of gastric mucosal atrophy viaendoscopic observation is subject to sampling error and interobserver variability.The Kimura-Takemoto classification system was developed to overcome theselimitations.AIMTo compare the morphological classification of atrophic gastritis between theKimura-Takemoto system and the Updated Sydney system.METHODSA total of 169 patients with atrophic gastritis were selected according to diagnosisby the visual endoscopic Kimura-Takemoto method. Following the UpdatedKimura-Takemoto classification system, one antrum biopsy and five gastriccorpus biopsies were taken according to the visual stages of the Kimura-Takemoto system. The Updated Kimura-Takemoto classification system was thenapplied to each and showed 165 to have histological mucosal atrophy;theremaining 4 patients had no histological evidence of atrophy in any biopsy. The Updated Kimura-Takemoto classification was verified as a referencemorphological method and applied for the diagnosis of atrophic gastritis. Addingone more biopsy from the antrum to the six biopsies according to the Updated Kimura-Takemoto classification, constitutes the updated combined Kimura-Takemoto classification and Sydney system.RESULTSThe sensitivity for degree of mucosal atrophy assessed by the Updated Sydneysystem was 25% for mild, 36% for moderate, and 42% for severe, when comparedwith the Updated Kimura-Takemoto classification of atrophic gastritis formorphological diagnosis. Four types of multifocal atrophic gastritis wereidentified: sequential uniform (type 1;in 28%), sequential non-uniform (type 2;in7%), diffuse uniform (type 3;in 23%), diffuse non-uniform (type 4;in 24%), and"alternating atrophic – non-atrophic" (type 5;in 18%). The pattern of the spread ofatrophy, sequentially from the antrum to the cardiac segment of the stomach,which was described by the Updated Kimura-Takemoto system, washistologically confirmed in 82% of cases evaluated.CONCLUSIONThe Updated Sydney system is significantly inferior to the Updated Kimura-Takemoto classification for morphological verification of atrophic gastritis.