gfDNA concentrations observed in all 941 subjects, grouped according to sex, and presence of gastric cancer.

Non-cancer subjects have normal gastric mucosa or minor peptic diseases (excludes pre-neoplastic disease). Bars indicate mean gfDNA concentration (ng/µL) and 95% confidence intervals.

Clinical and demographic attributes of participating subjects (n=941)

gfDNA concentration according to disease diagnosis and tumor stage.

A) gfDNA concentration (ng/µL) in patients with no endoscopic findings: Normal (N) or presenting minor peptic diseases (PD) – N+PD; preneoplastic conditions (PN), or gastric cancer (Cancer). B) gfDNA concentrations (ng/µL) for early-stage disease patients – T0-T2 (T0 + Tis + T1 + T2), as compared to more advanced disease stages T3 and T4. Bars indicate mean gfDNA concentration (ng/µL) and 95% confidence intervals.

gfDNA analysis according to patient survival and infiltration of inflammatory cells.

(A) For a total of 148 non-metastatic GC patients, cutoff gfDNA concentrations determined by a log-rank test (1.28 ng/µL) discriminate survival free of tumor progression (p = 0.009). (B) For a subset of 32 cases, for which representative biopsy H&E slides were available, inflammatory cell infiltrates in the gastric tumors were inspected by experienced pathologists and (C) have shown that more intense inflammatory infiltrates in tumors are characteristic of subjects with higher gfDNA concentrations (p = 0.001). Bars indicate mean gfDNA concentration (ng/µL) and 95% confidence intervals.