Retrospective analysis of prognosis for scirrhous-type gastric cancer: one institution's experience

Abstract

Background: Scirrhous gastric cancer is biologically aggressive, and the prognosis is poor even with curative surgery. We compared outcomes with different therapies in order to identify prognostic factors.

Methods: Records for 83 patients, who were treated between 1991 and 2004, were evaluated for survival and stage, treatment, and clinicopathological factors.

Results: Cumulative 5-year overall survival was 10.2% for all 83 patients, including 27 (32.5%) patients with stage II/III disease and 56 (67.4%) with stage IV disease. The 5-year overall survival rate and median survival time for patients with stage II/III disease after curative surgery were 24.3% and 1150 days. For patients with stage IV disease, 2-year and 5-year survival rates after initial surgery were 13.7% and 0% and median survival was 250 days. In contrast, preoperative chemotherapy for advanced, unresectable disease produced 2-year and 3-year overall survival rates of 53.6% and 26.8% and medican survival was 910 days.

Conclusion: Aggressive surgery alone does not seem to improve outcome, but preoperative chemotherapy might be beneficial and should be investigated further.