Characteristics and Survival Rate of Patients with Gastric and Gastroesophageal Junction Adenocarcinoma in Yazd, Iran

Background:Gastric cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in Iran. Treatment for gastric adenocarcinoma varies worldwide. The aim of this study is to evaluate char- acteristics and survival rate of gastric and gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma in Yazd, Iran.Methods: This study was conducted on ۵۳ patients with gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcioma who referred to Shahid Ramezanzadeh Radiation Oncology Center between ۲۰۰۴ and ۲۰۱۰. All patients underwent surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Data from patients’ records were extracted and follow up was conducted through telephone contacts. To analyze data, Kaplan Meier curves and SPSS software were employed.Results: There were ۱۷ (۳۲.۱%) female and ۳۶ (۶۷.۹%) male patients. The mean age was ۵۸.۳۲ years. CT scans were performed preoperatively for ۱۸ (۳۴%) patients. In ۱۴ (۲۶.۹%) patients no lymph node was resected or reported by the pathologist; in ۲۹ (۵۴.۷%) patients one to six lymph nodes were found; and in ۱۰ (۱۸.۹%) patients seven lymph nodes or more were detected. In ۲ (۳.۷۷%) patients there were more than fifteen lymph nodes resected. Surgical staging was impossible for ۱۶ (۳۰.۲%) patients. Mean survival was ۵۰.۹ months and median survival was ۵۱ months. The survival rates were ۷۳% for three years, ۳۶% for five years and ۱۸% for seven years. Among the variables only histologic grade had a significant relation to survival.Conclusion: Preoperative staging procedures and surgical resections are inadequate in our province. Survival rates are acceptable and similar to Western countries. This finding may have been the result of the effectiveness of combination chemotherapy regimens and radiotherapy used in our patients.