ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: We analyzed our 10-year experience in a single-center, public hospital and thereby evaluated the changing trends of clinico-pathologic and surgical characteristics as well as treatment outcomes in patients with gastric cancer.METHODS: The current single-center, retrospective study was conducted with patients who had been treated at department of our medical institution during a period ranging from March 1, 2007 to June 16, 2018. The eligible patients were divided into two groups: group I (March 2007–April 2012) and II (May 2012–June 2018). Then, we compared time-dependent changes in clinico-pathologic characteristics between the two groups.RESULTS: The mean age was 63.0±11.3 years in group I and 65.8±10.5 years in group II, respectively (P=0.017). The American Society of Anesthesiologist (ASA) score was 34.9% for 1 point, 38.3% for 2 points, and 26.9% for 3 points or more in group I, and 31.1% for 1 point, 52.5% for 2 points, and 16.4% for 3 points or more in group II, which was statistically significant (P=0.012). The average follow-up duration was significantly different between the two group (39.8±39.7 vs. 23.4±20.6) (P < 0.001). The duration of postoperative hospital stay was 1.8 days longer in group II than group I (P=0.047). Tumor depth, node metastasis and distant metastasis were significantly different between the two groups (P < 0.001, P=0.009, and P=0.019, respectively).CONCLUSION: There were significant differences in the age, ASA score, average follow-up duration, postoperative hospital stay, tumor depth, node metastasis and distant metastasis between the two groups.