Epidemiology and Pathogenesis of Gastric Carcinoma

Abstract

Worldwide studies on the epidemiology of gastric carcinoma are helping us to understand the correlations between possible causal and risk factors and the development of gastric cancer. Remarkable findings include the very different incidences in various countries and continents, the lack of important hereditary and ethnic factors, and the identification of specific risk factors, especially eating habits and other environmental influences. Knowing the epidemiology of gastric carcinoma also contributes to an understanding of pathogenesis. While these obvious correlations do not constitute proof in most cases, they do provide the data and impetus for controlled scientific, clinical, and experimental studies. It therefore makes sense to review the currently valid facts and speculations about the epidemiology and pathogenesis of gastric carcinoma before discussing the practical and clinical aspects involved in its classification, diagnosis, and therapy. In addition to internationally published results (essentially from the study group of Correa and Pfeiffer) we discuss current epidemiologic data, especially those relating to the incidence in the Federal Republic of Germany, based on the mortality rate statistics of the Federal Office of Statistics and the cancer atlas of the Federal Republic of Germany.¹