StoP

StoP – A comprehensive project on the epidemiological studies of gastric cancer

The StoP project is a comprehensive initiative on the epidemiological studies of gastric cancer (GC) that was initiated in 2012. The initiative for its creation belongs to a coalition of Italian research groups, which also received support from the Italian Minister of Health (Bando Giovani Ricercatori 2011–2012). The first meeting of the StoP project included ten research groups (four from Italy, two from China, and one each from Greece, Canada, Russia, and Iran). 

Several approaches were used to invite project participants:

Publications on GC epidemiological studies were searched in the electronic databases Medline and Embase, and an invitation to participate in the project was sent to the lead researcher;

An invitation to participate in the project was sent to industry experts;

An invitation to participate in the project was sent to industry specialists personally known to the involved researchers;

Information about the project and an invitation to participate were provided by presenting StoP project data summaries at conferences.

A year after the establishment of the StoP project (in October 2013), twenty-two research groups from eleven countries had confirmed their participation, collecting data on 9,000 GC patients and 23,000 control group participants. The minimum criteria for participation in the project are ≥ 80 histologically confirmed GC cases and an equivalent number of control group participants. Ten years after the project's establishment (in 2023), the number of research groups has reached thirty-three and represents sixteen countries with data on over 12,000 GCs and over 30,000 controls. In total, data on 606 gastric cancer and 645 control group participants have been collected and sent from Latvia (pairs matched by sex, age, and H. pylori serology among GC patients and corresponding control group participants).

Project implementation period: 01/09/2024 - 31/08/2025

Project identification number: ESS2024/465-PG-17

Project leader: Evita Gašenko;

Scientific consultant: Prof. Mārcis Leja.