Characteristics, therapy and outcome in an unselected and prospectively registered cohort of patients with gastro-oesophageal cancer.

PURPOSE

The purpose was to examine characteristics, treatment and outcome in an unselected, prospectively registered complete population of patients with gastro-oesophageal adenocarcinoma cancer (GEA).

METHODS

All cases diagnosed with GEA between 2008 and 2009 in the Region of Southern Denmark (pop: 1,200,000) were registered. Patient characteristics, including performance status, stage and therapy, were retrieved from patient charts and used to compare sub-groups of patients.

RESULTS

Three hundred and thirty patients were registered as having GEA. Patients were divided into three clinical subgroups based on initial treatment option: group 1: patients with resectable GEA (n = 113); group 2: patients receiving first-line therapy (n = 107); group 3: patients receiving no tumour-directed therapy (n = 110). Median overall survival (95% CI) in the three groups was 36 months (25-not reached), 7.1 months (7-9) and 2.4 months (2-3), respectively. Seven percent of patients participated in clinical trials.

CONCLUSION

Among patients not amendable to resection, around 30% are candidates for three-drug combination chemotherapy. Age > 65 years was found not to be a poor prognostic factor for survival, giving the possibility of treating elderly patients in the future. Many patients (approx. 30%), however, never received cancer-directed therapy. In order to improve survival in the entire population, it is important that future trials also focus on this group of patients.