Thammasat University and ASMG Publish Multinational Consensus on Managing Premalignant Gastric Conditions in Southeast Asia

Key summary

On October 22, 2026, Thammasat University's Center of Excellence for Gastrointestinal Systems, the ASEAN Stomach and Microbiota Study Group (ASMG), and international experts convened to approve a consensus titled 'Gastric Premalignant Conditions in Southeast Asia: Prevention, Diagnosis, Surveillance, and Management—A Multinational Expert Consensus.' The agreement aims to provide evidence-based guidelines tailored to the region's context for preventing gastric cancer. Professor Dr. Rattakorn Wilaichan, Head of Thammasat's Center and ASMG Secretary-General, noted that prevention extends beyond eliminating Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) to include detecting premalignant conditions, assessing risk, and managing patients with atrophic gastritis or intestinal-type metaplasia who may remain at risk even after H. pylori eradication. The consensus covers prevention, diagnosis, surveillance, and management based on individual risk levels, patient needs, and local healthcare capacity. Professor Dr. Varocha Mahachai emphasized that premalignant conditions offer a critical opportunity for personalized care, considering factors like family history, smoking, dietary habits, and lesion severity. International contributors included Professor Jaw-Town Lin from National Taiwan University, who highlighted the importance of government policy in supporting H. pylori screening and treatment access, and Professor Kentaro Sugano from Jichi Medical University in Japan, who stressed the role of media in educating the public about risk factors and appropriate medical interventions. The group plans to publish the work in an international journal and promote its adoption through professional networks to foster regional research collaboration.