Gastric cancer in Turkey-a bridge between west and East.

The incidence of gastric cancer in Turkey, which is between the higher incidence in the Eastern world and lower incidence in the West, is 9.6 cases/100,000 population in men and 5.7/100,000 in women. Mean age at diagnosis is 56 years. Gastric cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in men and the third in women. The relatively high rate of gastric cancer in Turkey appears to be mainly due to dietary factors, and there are etiologic and epidemiologic differences among regions of the country. Although type of surgical resection may vary from center to center, D2 dissection is increasingly preferred in experienced clinics, with an associated mortality of about 3.3%. Adjuvant chemoradiotherapy is widely used. Few chemotherapy regimens are used in advanced disease. Gastric cancer remains an important public health problem in Turkey. With the adoption of healthier dietary practices and screening programs in endemic areas, the mortality from gastric cancer is expected to decrease.