[Familial gastric cancer: diagnosis, treatment and periodic surveillance].

The only known genetic causes of hereditary diffuse gastric cancer (HDGC) are germline mutations in the CDH1 gene.- CDH1 mutation carriers have a lifetime risk of 70-80% of developing diffuse gastric cancer. As periodic gastric surveillance is of limited value in detecting early stages of HDGC, prophylactic gastrectomy is advised for this patient group. This group is small and little is known about other types of familial gastric cancer. The Dutch Working Group on Hereditary Gastric Cancer has formulated criteria for various aspects of medical care for families and individuals at high risk of developing gastric cancer, including criteria for diagnostics and periodic gastric surveillance. In order to optimize the care and increase the knowledge on hereditary gastric cancer it is important to centralize medical care for these patients.