Table 1 Baseline characteristics

Healthy volunteers

(n = 15)

 Age

median, range

63

27-77

 Sex

Male

7

46.7

Female

8

53.3

Non-cancerous patients

(n = 11)

 Age

median, range

53

35-79

 Sex

Male

7

63.6

Female

4

36.4

Gastric cancer patients

(n = 55)

 Age

median, range

58

25-75

 Sex

Male

36

65.5

Female

19

34.5

 Disease presentation

Recurrent

14

25.5

Metastatic

41

74.5

 Type of surgery

Total gastrectomy

9

16.4

Subtotal gastrectomy

10

18.2

No

36

65.5

 Differentiation

WD

3

5.5

MD

9

16.4

PD

27

49.1

SRC

12

21.8

Others^a

4

7.3

 Lauren

Intestinal

7

12.7

Diffuse

10

18.2

Mixed

1

1.8

Unknown

37

67.3

 HER2

Negative

46

83.6

Positive

8

14.5

Unknown

1

1.8

 Type of body fluid

Ascites

46

83.6

Pleural fluid

9

16.4

 Previous palliative chemotherapy at acquisition of body fluid

Chemotherapy-naïve

11

20.0

1

14

25.5

2

15

27.3

≥3

15

27.3