What reasons lie behind long-term survival differences for gastric cancer within Europe?

BACKGROUND

Wide geographic variations in survival for gastric cancer in Europe have been reported. The aim of this study was to analyse the effect of stage at diagnosis, treatment and cancer characteristics on long-term survival for gastric cancer in populations covered by cancer registries.

METHODS

We analysed survival in 4620 cases of gastric cancer from 17 European population-based cancer registries from 8 countries. Univariate and multivariate regression of relative survival were performed.

RESULTS

Five-year relative survival varied between 10.6% and 24.0%, while 10-year survival ranged from 7.7% to 23.0%. After adjustment for age and sex, the regional excess hazard ratio (EHR) of death was significantly higher in Ragusa, Granada, Yorkshire, Slovakia, Slovenia and Poland than in France, Northern Italy, The Netherlands and the Basque Country. After further adjustment for surgical resection versus no resection (a proxy of stage), the EHR of death remained significantly higher only in Granada and Yorkshire than in the reference country (France). After adjustment for stage, the EHR was significantly higher only in Yorkshire (EHR: 1.51; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.29-1.77). The EHR in this area was limited to the first year following diagnosis.

CONCLUSION

Differences across Europe in gastric cancer survival depend to a large extent on differences in stage at diagnosis. However they do not explain all variations. Quality of management and treatment can explain some differences.