Ali Delpisheh - Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran
Yousef Veisani - Student Research Committee, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran
Kourosh Sayehmiri - Prevention of Psychosocial Injuries Research Center, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran
Ezzatollah Rahimi - Liver and Digestive Research Center, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran

Background: There is little information about the possible influence of lifestyle and etiologic risk factors on survival amongst patients with gastric cancer.Methods: We recruited a consecutive series of ۲۴۹ patients with definite diagnosis of gastric cancer who had been hospitalized in Towhid Hospital, Sanandaj, Kurdistan Province in Western Iran during a five-year period from ۲۰۰۶ until ۲۰۱۱. Survival rate was calculated according to the Kaplan-Meier and log rank statistical methods. Cox hazard regression was used to investigate the effect of the variables and adjust for the effect of age.Results: According to univariate analysis, related variables that included age, gender, Residence, histology grade, histology type, familial history of gastrointestinal cancer and mental illness during the disease had no significant effects on survival rate variation. Significant independent factors on survival included past medical history of gastrointestinal diseases (P-value = ۰.۰۱۰), tobacco smoking (P-value = ۰.۰۱۲), and early diagnosis (P-value = ۰.۰۰۸). Cox-regression analysis of demographic, lifestyle and histological factors with >۴۵ years of age as the reference revealed that patients ۴۶-۶۵ years of age at diagnosis (HR=۰.۶۰۲; ۹۵% CI=۰.۲۵۰-۱.۴۴; P=۰.۲۵۶) and those >۶۶ years of age (HR=۱.۰۷, ۹۵% CI=۰.۴۶-۲.۵۰, P≤۰.۰۰۱) had an increased risk for disease progression and death.Conclusions: Past medical history of gastrointestinal diseases, tobacco smoking and early stage diagnosis might influence the long-term survival of patients with gastric cancer.