Missed Gastric Cancer: Tackling the Elephant in the Room

Gastric cancer (GC) is a major health issue, with >1 million new cases in 2020 and >800,000 deaths worldwide.1 Measures for tackling missed gastric cancer during EGD are summarized. The fight against GC has been limited by its geographic heterogeneity, with the highest incidence rates in Asia and the lowest in Southern Africa and by its high prevalence in low-income countries, where deficiencies in cleanliness and resources make cancer control difficult. Most lesions present at stage 1B and beyond, when surgery, hospitalization, and adjuvant chemotherapy make palliative care exceedingly expensive.