Clinicopathological Features and Survival of Patients with Gastric Cancer with a Family History: a Large Analysis of 2,736 Patients with Gastric Cancer

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Previous studies indicated conflicting results regarding the prognosis of gastric cancer with a family history (FHX). This study aimed to determine the clinicopathological features and survival of patients with gastric cancer with a FHX. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed 2,736 patients with gastric cancer who underwent surgery between 2003 and 2009. The prognostic value of a FHX was determined in the multivariate model after adjusting for variables in the Asian and internationally validated prognostic models. RESULTS: Of the patients, 413 (15.1%) had a FHX of gastric cancer. The patients with a FHX were younger (58.1 vs. 60.4 years; P<0.001) than the patients without a FHX. There were no significant differences in the histopathological characteristics between the 2 groups. A FHX was associated with a better overall survival (OS) rate only in the stage I group (5-year survival rate, 95% vs. 92%; P=0.006). However, the disease-specific survival (DSS) rate was not significantly different between the 2 groups in all stages. The multivariate model adjusted for the variables in the Asian and internationally validated prognostic models revealed that FHX has no significant prognostic value for OS and DSS. CONCLUSIONS: The clinicopathological features and survival of the patients with gastric cancer with a FHX did not significantly differ from those of the patients without a FHX.