[Long-term survival of curatively operated gastric cancer: influence of the gender and splenectomy].

BACKGROUND

Despite advances in operative technique long-term survival of curatively operated gastric cancer patients still remains poor with 5-year-survival of 25 %. Gender differences have been recognized in patients with colorectal carcinoma with a higher 5-year-survival of women. The long time-survival of the individual patient is closely dependent on his immunofunction. If a splenectomy has to be carried out, the postoperative immunofunction will be affected considerably. Thus, the question arises as to how far gender and splenectomy influence the long time-survival after curative gastric cancer surgery.

METHODS

In a retrospective analysis of 505 patients with gastric cancer who had been treated between the years 1992 and 2002, a curative resection, i. e. R0, could be performed in 243 patients (48.1 %) with a definite classified tumour stadium according to the UICC (1997). The sociodemographic, operative, histomorphologic and postoperative data of each patient were collected, stratified by gender and compared using log-rank-test (survival) and chi-square-test (distribution). Multivariate analysis was performed by cox regression. The level of significance was set at p < 0.05.

RESULTS

The sociodemographic, histopathologic and operative data between the two genders were comparable. The morbidity between men and women was not significant. However the rate of postoperative sepsis was higher in men (p < 0.05). With regard to the long-term survival, no difference could be shown between the two groups. However, splenectomy had a significant effect on long time-survival. Women with preserved spleen had a significantly improved five-year-survival rate as compared to women undergoing splencetomy and men with preserved spleen (p < 0.05). Multivariate analysis revealed only the tumour stage as a predictor for long time-survival in men, whereas in women the extend of lymphadenectomy and sepsis also influenced long time-survival.

CONCLUSION

Long time-survival of curatively operated gastric cancer patients is gender dependent in terms of splenectomy. Therefore, gender differences should be taken into account in analysing long-term data of oncological patients.