Treatment Outcomes of Gastric Carcinoma: Experience of a Single Egyptian Cancer Center, AHMED A. ZEENELDIN, HANAN R. NASSAR, MOSAAD M. EL-GAMMAL, YASSER A. SALLAM and DINA S. AL-GAMAL
Abstract
Background: Worldwide, gastric cancer (GC)is the 4th most common malignancy as it represents 7.8% of the total malignancies. In Egypt, it represents 1.8% of all cancers.
Aim: To study GC among patients presenting to Tanta Cancer Center (TCC), Gharbiah, Egypt.
Methods: This retrospective study included 118 patients with gastric cancer registered at TCC between 2003 and 2006. Clinico-pathological characteristics, treatments and their outcomes were extracted from the medical files.
Results: GC cases at TCC increased with time. The mean age was 54.9 years with male predominance. Most of the cases (~55%) presented with advanced stages. The commonest site of metastasis was liver (35%). Surgery was used in 59% of cases being curative in two-thirdsand palliative in one third of patients. Chemotherapy was used in 56% of cases. Cislatin/ 5-flurouracial was the most commonly used regimen (57.5%). The median overall survival (OS) was 6 months. The 1–, 2– and 5-years OS rates were 38%, 25% and 17% respectively. For patients who underwent curative surgery the 1–, 2– and 5-year disease-free survival (DFS)rateswere 58%, 38% and 13% respectively. The median DFS was 27 months for patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy. DFS was significantly better in patients who underwent curative surgery followed by adjuvant chemotherapy compared to those who did not receive it. The median PFS for patients who received palliative chemotherapy was 4 months.
Conclusions: GCat TCC presents at advanced stage and-carriesa poor outcome. Early detection and prompt curative therapies are eagerly needed.