Search

Background Despite therapeutic advancements, gastric cancer (GC) remains a leading cause of death worldwide. Methods This retrospective cohort study statistically analyzed the clinicopathologic characteristics, treatments and outcomes of patients with potentially resectable GC managed at our institution between 2006 and 2010. The STROBE checklist was applied. Results Preoperative assessment of 164 GC patients (male: female ratio 1.87, median age 65 years) assigned 132 (80.5%) to total (56; 42.4%) or subtotal (76; 57.6%) gastrectomy. Resection margins were microscopically tumor-free (R0) in 100 (75.8%), microscopically infiltrated (R1) in 25 (18.9%) and macroscopically infiltrated (R2) in 7 (5.3%) patients. Nodal plane dissection was D0 in 34 (25.8%), D1 in 62 (47.0%) and D2 in 36 (27.3%) patients. Early GC was diagnosed in 19 patients (14.4%). Fluorouracil-based chemotherapy was administered in 69.7% and chemoradiation in 18.2% of patients. The 5- and 10-year survival rates of patients with R0 resection were 74% and 65.4%, respectively. The 2-year survival rates for R1 and R2 resection were 28.9% and 0% respectively. The 5- and 10-year survival rates according to nodal plane dissection were 55.6% and 41.4% for D2, and 53.2% and 49.7% for D1, respectively. On multivariate analysis, T4, N3 and R1/R2 remained independent negative prognostic factors for overall survival. Microscopic or macroscopic infiltration of surgical margins was the worst adverse prognostic factor for survival. Conclusion These results are equivalent to those from centers of excellence and indicate the urgent need for improvements in the field, particularly in the development of predictive models to guide personalized therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) are the most common sarcomas of the gastrointestinal tract, with transformation typically driven by activating mutations of cKIT and less commonly platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRA). Successful targeting of tyrosine-protein kinase Kit with imatinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, has had a major impact in the survival of patients with GIST in both the adjuvant and metastatic setting. A recent modification of treatment guidelines for patients with localized, high-risk GIST extended the adjuvant treatment duration from 1 year to 3 years. In this paper, we review the clinical data of patients with GIST treated in the Oncology Outpatient Unit of "Attikon" University Hospital and aim to assess which patients are eligible for prolongation of adjuvant imatinib therapy as currently suggested by treatment recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]