Gastric Cancer: A Practical Review on Management of Individuals with Hereditary or Familial Risk for Gastric Cancer

Abstract

Gastric adenocarcinoma is one of the most frequent and deadly cancers worldwide. However, its incidence is variable, being higher in eastern countries where screening the general population is recommended. On the other hand, in low to intermediate-risk countries, screening the general population may not be cost-effective, and therefore, it is necessary to be aware of high-risk populations that may benefit from adequate screening and surveillance. It is not always easy to identify these individuals, leading to a late diagnosis of gastric adenocarcinoma. In this review, the authors intend to summarize the data required to identify the population at risk of sporadic or familial gastric adenocarcinoma and the beginning of screening and its surveillance, with the final aim of increasing early detection of gastric adenocarcinoma and decreasing morbimortality. The authors highlight the importance to be aware of the several hereditary syndromes and MAPS recommendations and apply screen and surveillance protocols. The high-risk syndromes to gastric adenocarcinoma are gastric adenocarcinoma and proximal polyposis of the stomach, hereditary diffuse gastric cancer, and familial intestinal gastric cancer.