The first step, but extra effort for better nationwide database

In this issue of the Journal of Gastric Cancer ( JGC ), Eom et al . introduced the large-scale prospective cohort study in gastric cancer in Korea (1). This study was initiated in 2010 by the Ministry of Health and Welfare of the Republic of Korea to establish a large-scale database of Korean patients with gastric cancer. A total of 4,963 patients were recruited from fourteen hospitals, including National Cancer Center, nine Regional Cancer Centers located in each province and four high-volume hospitals. All data were collected prospectively by trained coordinators using the electronic case report form (eCRF) and the internet-based eVelos system.