Annual Change of Clinicopathologic Characteristics after Radical Gastrectomy due to Gastric Cancer

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Recently, early gastric cancer has increased in Korea. Thus, endoscopic treatment and laparoscopic gastrectomy has increased in early gastric cancer patients. We studied periodic change and characteristics in gastric cancer patients. Thus, we analyzed annual change of clinicopathological characteristics and long-term survival results of gastric cancer patients after radical gastrectomy over 10 years. METHODS: From 1995 to 2004, 2,387 patients underwent radical gastrectomy due to gastric cancer. We analyzed annual characteristics, sex, age distribution, cancer location, depth of invasion, lymph node metastasis, UICC stage and 5-year survival rates, retrospectively from medical records. RESULTS: The number of gastric cancer patient has increased annually. The ratio of male to female was 21. Gastric cancer was most common and increased annually in the 60~79-year age group. Early gastric cancer increased annually. The 5-year survival rate was 93% in stage Ia, 89% in stage Ib, 72% in stage II, 51% in stage IIIA, 38% in stage IIIb and 22% in stage IV. Multivariate analysis revealed that UICC stage (or depth of invasion and lymph node metastasis) and cancer location were the main independent prognostic factors. CONCLUSION: Prognosis is improved due to increase of early gastric cancer. So, we should attempt diagnosis early and treat early gastric cancer. Active treatment is recommended even for the elderly gastric cancer patients. And care should be taken with respect to morbidity and mortality.