A Case Study on Gastric Cancer in South Korea versus France

Abstract

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) unveil the stark disparities to health equity between developed countries across the globe. Although prevention, treatment, and research of certain NCDs are well-established and funded, others, specifically gastric cancer (GC), do not share the same notoriety. In particular, GC killed more than 768,793 people globally with 1.09 million GC diagnoses in 2020 alone (The Global Cancer Observatory, 2020). This data elucidates the merit of GC for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) initiatives. By examining social determinants between two economically similar countries through an evidence-based case methodology, the results may gleen into avoidable mortality and economic burden, successful prevention, and more favorable prognosis in decreasing the prevalence of GC. This review aims to compare South Korea and France which have one of the highest and lowest prevalence of GC, respectively. The concluding model will serve as a recommendation for countries with high prevalence of GC towards achieving SDG 3, which promotes health and wellbeing across the life course, while advocating for the declaration of health as a human right (United Nations, 2020). Pragmatic, tangible recommendations include partnerships with media to reduce alcohol consumption, sodium reduction campaigns and nutrition programs to promote healthy diets, and expansion of medical clinics in rural areas to reach those who lack access to proper healthcare.