Published online Apr 7, 2016. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v22.i13.3670
Peer-review started: December 8, 2015
First decision: January 13, 2016
Revised: January 25, 2016
Accepted: February 22, 2016
Article in press: February 22, 2016
Published online: April 7, 2016
Processing time: 111 Days and 21.8 Hours
AIM: To assess the predictive value of Operative Link on Gastritis Assessment (OLGA) and Operative Link on Gastric Intestinal Metaplasia Assessment (OLGIM) stages in gastric cancer.
METHODS: A prospective study was conducted with 71 patients with early gastric cancer (EGC) and 156 patients with non-EGC. All patients underwent endoscopic examination and systematic biopsy. Outcome measures were assessed and compared, including the Japanese endoscopic gastric atrophy (EGA) classification method and the modified OLGA method as well as the modified OLGIM method. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) status was determined for all study participants. Stepwise logistic regression modeling was performed to analyze correlations between EGC and the EGA, OLGA and OLGIM methods.
RESULTS: For patients with EGC and patients with non-EGC, the proportions of moderate-to-severe EGA cases were 64.8% and 44.9%, respectively (P = 0.005), the proportions of OLGA stages III-IV cases were 52.1% and 22.4%, respectively (P < 0.001), and the proportions of OLGIM stages III-IV cases were 42.3% and 19.9%, respectively (P < 0.001). OLGA stage and OLGIM stage were significantly related to EGA classification; specifically, logistic regression modeling showed significant correlations between EGC and moderate-to-severe EGA (OR = 1.95, 95% CI: 1.06-3.58, P = 0.031) and OLGA stages III-IV (OR = 3.14, 95%CI: 1.71-5.81, P < 0.001), but no significant correlation between EGC and OLGIM stages III-IV (P = 0.781). H. pylori infection rate was significantly higher in patients with moderate-to-severe EGA (75.0% vs 54.1%, P = 0.001) or OLGA/OLGIM stages III-IV (OLGA: 83.6% vs 55.8%, P < 0.001; OLGIM: 83.6% vs 57.8%, P < 0.001).
CONCLUSION: OLGA classification is optimal for EGC screening. A surveillance program including OLGA stage and H. pylori infection status may facilitate early detection of gastric cancer.
Core tip: Japanese endoscopic gastric atrophy classification, Operative Link on Gastritis Assessment (OLGA), and Operative Link on Gastric Intestinal Metaplasia Assessment (OLGIM) have been proven separately as effective methods to evaluate severity of gastric atrophy and intestinal metaplasia. However, these methods have not been compared for prognosticating neoplastic development. This study compared the correlations of these three methods with early gastric cancer (EGC) and found that OLGA classification is optimal for EGC screening. A surveillance program based on OLGA stage and Helicobacter pylori infection status may represent a practical approach for detecting gastric cancer at an early stage.