Clinical features of gastric adenoma detected within 3 years after negative screening endoscopy in Korea

BACKGROUND: Early detection and management of gastric adenoma are important for preventing gastric cancer. The present study aimed to evaluate the predictors of missed gastric adenoma on screening endoscopy in Korea and identify the risk factors associated with interval precancerous gastric lesions. METHODS: All cases of gastric adenomas diagnosed via screening endoscopy between 2007 and 2019 were reviewed. Among them, those who had undergone endoscopy within 3 years were included in the present study. Missed gastric adenoma was defined as gastric adenoma diagnosed within 3 years after negative screening endoscopy. RESULTS: In total, 295 cases of gastric adenoma were identified. Of these, 95 (32.2%) were missed gastric adenoma cases (mean age, 60.6 years; average interval between final and index endoscopies, 12.6 months); the remaining 200 (67.8%) were newly detected adenoma cases. Univariate analysis revealed that male sex, endoscopist experience, observation time, and presence of gastric intestinal metaplasia (pathologically proven) were associated with missed gastric adenoma. Multivariate analysis revealed that gastric intestinal metaplasia (odds ratio [OR], 2.736; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.320–5.667; P = 0.007) and shorter observation time of the index screening endoscopy (B, −0.011; OR, 0.990; 95% CI, 0.986–0.993; P < 0.001) were independent risk factors for missed gastric adenoma. The optimal cut-off for the observation time for detecting gastric adenoma was 3.53 minutes (area under curve, 0.738; 95% CI, 0.677–0.799; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Gastric intestinal metaplasia is an indication of missed gastric adenoma. Therefore, careful inspection of gastric mucosa with gastric intestinal metaplasia and proper observation time can lower the possibility of missing the gastric adenoma during screening.