Outcomes among patients treated for gastric adenocarcinoma during the last decade

Objectives To evaluate the outcomes among patients treated for gastric adenocarcinoma in a referral hospital, and to identify possible trends during the last decade. Methods All patients evaluated for gastric adenocarcinoma during the period 1999–2009 were included. Results Of 397 patients, 52% were curatively resected. Crude 5‐year survival for the first 6 years period was 38.7% (CI 29.5–47.9), for the last 5 years, 49.2% (CI 38.8–59.6). Time period ( P  = 0.013), age ( P  < 0.001) and disease stage ( P  < 0.001), were significant predictors of long‐term survival rates. Among curatively resected, in‐hospital mortality was reduced from 8.5% in the first period to 2.0% in the last one ( P  = 0.037). There was a significant increase in the use of primary stents from the first to the last period ( P  = 0.006), paralleled by a significant reduction in the number of explorative laparotomies or bypass procedures ( P  < 0.001). Conclusions During the last decade, long‐term survival rates improved among patients curatively resected for gastric adenocarcinoma, and in‐hospital mortality was substantially reduced. For patients in a non‐curative situation, there was a significant shift from explorative laparotomies or bypass procedures to primary use of stents. J. Surg. Oncol. 2013;107:752–757. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.