Relationship between demographic and pathological characteristics on the 5-year survival rate of gastric cancer patients in Tehran province

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignancies and is considered as one of the leading causes of cancer deaths worldwide. Despite considerable progress in the disease's control and treatment, the patients' survival rate is relatively low. Different factors can affect the survival rate of GC patients. The current study aims to evaluate the association of demographic and pathological characteristics with the survival rate of GC patients.

This descriptive-analytical study was conducted on Fifty-six patients with gastric cancer from October 2015 to October 2016, who were referred to the gastroenterology clinic of Imam Khomeini and Rasoul Akram Hospitals in Tehran province and followed up for five consecutive years. The survival rate of the patients was measured using Kaplan-Meier method. Moreover, the Log-rank test and the COX regression model were used to determine the association of the survival rate with the demographic and pathological characteristics, including gender, age, tumor location, tumor type, tumor differentiation, metastasis, tumor staging, and Helicobacter pylori status. Data analysis was performed via SPSS version 22, and a P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. 

A total of 56 patients were studied; 73% were men, and 27% were women. Our results showed that gastric cancer is more common in males and older people. Patients' one-year, three-year, and five-year survival rates were 67%, 35%, and 26%, respectively. Also, the survival rate of participants over 60 and in advanced stages of GC was lower than others. The Log-rank test showed that age, tumor type, tumor differentiation, metastasis, and tumor staging could affect the survival rate. However, in the COX regression model, age, metastasis, and tumor staging influenced the survival rate of patients.

The results indicated that the survival rate of gastric cancer patients was relatively low, and the early diagnosis of GC could be a substantial factor in increasing the patients' survival rate. Therefore, an appropriate screening program is necessary to increase the survival rate of GC patients.