A panel of tests produced by a Finnish biomedical company that assess gastric cancer risk will be used in a large screening study of asymptomatic persons in China.

The Biohit Oyj (Helsinki, Finland) GastroPanel is a set of four ELISA kits that diagnose Helicobacter pylori infection and atrophic gastritis by determining levels of the biomarkers pepsinogen I (PGI), pepsinogen II (PGII), gastrin-17 (G-17), and H. pylori antibodies. The tests are noninvasive and performed upon small blood samples.

The gastric cancer risk screening study was organized by the China Health Promotion Foundation, a public organization managed by the Chinese Ministry of Health. Testing of approximately 500,000 40–80-year-old asymptomatic persons with GastroPanel assays will be conducted at fifty to one hundred primary healthcare centers across China. Collection of samples began in the summer of 2015, and data collection and analysis, including evaluation, are planned to be finalized by the end of 2016.

Semi Korpela, CEO of Biohit Oyj, said, "This is an outstanding opening for GastroPanel biomarkers in the screening of asymptomatic subjects to disclose the risk groups for gastric cancer and vitamin B12 malabsorption among other things. Gastric cancer is the leading cause of cancer related mortality in China. The use of the very informative GastroPanel for the screening of gastric cancer risk offers the possibility for the prevention and early detection of stomach cancers. Based on correct diagnosis, screening reduces sick leaves and loss of labor input, as well as self-medication with its associated risks. Early detection of risk conditions for gastric cancer and vitamin and mineral deficiencies saves healthcare costs and human suffering as well."

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