Survival of patients with stomach cancer in Changle city of China

AIM: The survival rate of patients with stomach cancer is used to evaluate the effects of treatments. The short- and mid-term survival of patients on the present level of treatments can be described by calculating 1- to 5-year survival rates. The aims of this study were to document patterns of survival after treatments for stomach cancer in Changle city and analyze whether the stage of cancer and the way of treatment impacted on survival of patients or not. METHODS: A total number of 745 patients with stomach cancer reported in the Changle Cancer Registry from 1993 to 1998 were investigated with respect to the disease condition, the way of treatment and survival time. 1- to 5- year survival rates were estimated by using life-table method. RESULTS: The 1- to 5-year survival rates in the patients with stomach cancer in Changle city were 54.23%, 41.77%, 37.95%, 33.98% and 30.47%, respectively. The 1- to 5-year survival rates in stageIor II group were 3, 6.1, 7.4, 8.9 and 9.8 times as high as those in stage III or IV group, respectively. The 1- to 5-year survival rates in operation group were 3.5, 8.7, 11.2, 11.7 and 19 times as high as those in no operation group, respectively. For the patients with stage III or IV stomach cancer the 1-year survival rate in operation group was 3 times as high as that in no operation group and 2- year survival rate in operation group was 11.9 times as high as that in no operation group. For the patients wibh stage III or 1V stomach cancer, the differences of the survival rates average survival times between total gastrectomy and partial gastrectomy were not significant and the median survival times in these 2 groups were 8 mo and 9 mo, respectively. CONCLUSION: Mid-term survival rates of patients with stomach cancer in Changle city are low. Stage of cancer is an important factor influencing survival of patients with stomach cancer. Surgery is an effective treatment for the patients with stage IV cancer and can raise short- and mid-term survival rates. Total gastrectomy should not be