07 May DDW25: Cleveland Clinic Reports Progress Made in Early Diagnosis of Gastric Cancer
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Dr. Siddiqui
Mohamed Tausif Siddiqui, MD
The study’s lead author and a Gastroenterology fellow
Cleveland Clinic.
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: Our study looked at how the stage of gastric cancer diagnosis has changed over the past two decades in the U.S., using national SEER data. Gastric cancer has long been a challenge because it’s often diagnosed late, when treatment options are limited and survival rates are poor.
But with advancements in endoscopic technology—like high-definition imaging, narrow-band imaging, and endoscopic ultrasound—we wanted to see if these tools were making a difference in catching cancers earlier.
MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings?
Response: The main finding is encouraging: over the last two decades, we’ve seen a steady increase in early-stage, localized gastric cancer diagnoses. In fact, in 2021, for the first time, localized gastric cancer became the most common stage at diagnosis—surpassing distant metastasis, which had historically been the most common. At the same time, we saw a decrease in cases diagnosed at regional and distant stages.
MedicalResearch.com: Can early-stage gastric cancer be successfully treated (i.e., with ablation or resection)? Who should be screened?
Response: Yes—early-stage gastric cancer can often be treated curatively using minimally invasive endoscopic procedures, such as endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) or endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). These techniques allow doctors to remove the cancer through an endoscope without needing major surgery. In some cases, they also help assess how deeply the cancer has invaded, which can guide whether additional treatment is needed.
As for screening, in the U.S., we don’t currently screen the general population like some countries with higher gastric cancer rates do. But screening could be considered for high-risk individuals—such as those with a family history of gastric cancer, certain ethnic backgrounds (including East Asian, South American, and Eastern European), people with known gastric intestinal metaplasia or dysplasia, or those with chronic Helicobacter pylori infection.
MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report?
Response: The key takeaway is that we’re making real progress in diagnosing gastric cancer earlier, likely thanks to improvements in endoscopic technology and its broader use. This shift toward more localized diagnoses is important because it opens the door to less invasive, more effective treatment options—and could ultimately improve survival rates. It also highlights the need to keep investing in endoscopic innovation and consider ways to identify high-risk groups who might benefit from earlier screening. We would also need to consider strategies to bridge the gaps in gastric cancer treatment, if localized disease is the most common stage at the presentation, we need to develop strategies such as early treatment intervention (prior to cancer advancing into late stages) or a specific screening program for high risk individual to intervene in a timely fashion.
MedicalResearch.com: Is there anything else you would like to add? Any disclosures?
Response: We’re very grateful for the mentorship (Dr. Amit Bhatt & Dr. Michelle Kim) and collaboration at the Cleveland Clinic as well as the resources provided by Dr. Miguel Regueiro (Digestive Institute Chair at the Cleveland Clinic) , which made this work possible. Our findings are a hopeful sign that technology is moving the needle in early cancer detection, but they also raise important questions about how we can further expand access to endoscopic care, particularly for at-risk populations.
I have no relevant disclosures.
More information;
- Bockerstett KA, DiPaolo RJ. Two distinct etiologies of gastric cancer: Infection and autoimmunity. Frontiers in Immunology. 2021;12:752346. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2021.752346
- Wang Z, Zhang J, Liu Y, et al. Gastric cancer: Epidemiology, modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors, challenges and opportunities. Cancer Epidemiology. 2022;80:102223. doi:10.1016/j.canep.2022.102223
Citation:
A two-decade evolution in early gastric cancer detection: Patterns and insights from SEER data,” abstract Sa1374 at 12:30 p.m. PDT on Saturday, May 3, 2025 at the Digestive Disease Week® (DDW) conference.
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Last Updated on May 7, 2025 by Marie Benz MD FAAD
