[Mass screening for gastric cancer performed in Costa Rica]

We performed mass screening for gastric cancer by means of X-ray in Costa Rica from 1996 through 1999. Screening was performed on 10,064 subjects and 69 gastric cancers were detected (screening group). During the same period 172 gastric cancer patients were referred to us (non-screening group). Results of screening in Japan (Japanese group) were quoted from the annual report of the Japanese Society of Gastroenterological Mass Survey. This study is a comparison of these 3 groups. The detection rate was 0.68% in the screening group, 0.11% in the Japanese group. The operability was 92.7%, 76.1%, 97.0%, the resectability 96.8%, 83.2%, 98.6%, the rate of early gastric cancer 64.5%, 30.3%, 65.9%, and the rate of curability A 79.0%, 38.5%. 82.6% in the screening group, non-screening group and Japanese group respectively. The results in the screening group were exactly equal to those in the Japanese group. These results show that the same results can be obtained in Costa Rica as in Japan, if screening is performed with the same diagnostic level and skill as in Japan.