Gastric Cancer Prevention for Indigenous Peoples

National Taiwan University

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Gastric Cancer

Treatments: Other: Gastric cancer prevention; Other: Execution of the program

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03900910

1070056368 (Other Identifier)

201804108RINB

Details and patient eligibility

About

The incidence of gastric cancer in local indigenous peoples is higher than the non-Indigenous counterpart in Taiwan. How to design an effective prevention strategy for gastric cancer is of importance. The present study aimed to identify the causes that may account for the health inequalities, allowing generation of a plan of action on the whole population scale.

Full description

Owing to the continuing gap in cancer burden between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples, reducing health disparities has drawn worldwide attention. Evidence indicates that the gastric cancer incidence and mortality rates in Indigenous peoples are much higher than those of non-Indigenous counterparts living in the same areas. Exposure to more risk factors from social habits, lifestyle, and Helicobacter pylori infection has been considered the cause. However, even though gastric cancer has been repeatedly shown to be preventable by eliminating risk factors, eradication policies are rarely designed for Indigenous peoples. Possible obstacles may include the lack of Indigenous health statistics, inadequate access to care, difficulty in modifying social habits and lifestyles, and the presence of environmental and cultural barriers. Developing and implementing a preventive strategy following the evidence-based principle remains a challenge.

In Taiwan, the number of Indigenous peoples has grown; however, their life expectancy remains substantially lower than that of the non-Indigenous population. Cancer is the most prevalent cause of death for Indigenous peoples and a disproportionate prevalence of certain kinds of cancer is noted for Indigenous peoples. These observations provide an opportunity to establish a plan of action, in which a specific intervention is developed to decrease the threat from each specific cancer so that the overall disparate burden can be reduced in a stepwise manner.

Enrollment: 50,000 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 20 to 60 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Aged 20-60 years
• Mentally competent to be able to understand the consent form
• Able to communicate with study staff for individuals

Exclusion criteria

• Pregnancy
• Individuals with major comorbid diseases

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Non-Randomized

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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50,000 participants in 2 patient groups

Gastric cancer prevention

Experimental group

Description:

13C-urea breath test and anti-H. pylori treatment for those who are tested positive.

Treatment:

Other: Execution of the program

Other: Gastric cancer prevention

The acceptability and applicability of the mass screening program

Experimental group

Description:

Our short-term outcome is the acceptability and feasibility of this screening program, which will be evaluated by answering whether the screening quality indicators can reach the minimal requirements.

Treatment:

Other: Execution of the program

Other: Gastric cancer prevention