Early Detection Key to Fighting Gastric Cancer

High Prognosis for Early-Stage Disease, Study Finds

Late-Stage Diagnosis Lowers Cure Rates

A recent study has highlighted the importance of early detection in the fight against gastric cancer. The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, found that the prognosis for early-stage gastric cancer is very good, while the chances of a cure get lower as the stage of the cancer progresses.

Gastric cancer is a heterogeneous malignancy, meaning that it can vary significantly in terms of its stage-wise prognosis. This study aimed at finding any prognostic markers that could help predict which patients are at higher risk of developing advanced-stage gastric cancer.

The researchers assessed these markers in different tumor sites and found that the sensitivity of CEA, a tumor marker commonly used in the diagnosis of gastric cancer, was significantly lower in gastric cancer compared to other tumor sites.

These findings suggest that CEA may not be a reliable prognostic marker for gastric cancer and that further research is needed to identify more accurate predictors of disease progression.