Prognostic Differences of Tumor Localization in Gastric Cancer Patients Undergoing Curative Resection

Background: Gastric cancer is the fifth most frequent cancer worldwide and the third major cause of cancer-related fatalities Objectives: The current study aims to investigate whether there is a relationship between tumor location and various prognostic factors in patients who underwent curative resection for gastric cancer. Methods: A total of 293 patients who underwent curative surgical resection for gastric cancer were analysed retrospectively. Siewert type II and III tumours were defined as proximal gastric cancer (PGC). More distally located tumours were defined as distal gastric cancer (DGC). Siewert type I tumours were excluded. Results: Out of 293 patients, 78 were diagnosed with PGC and 215 had DGC. There was a significant relationship between preoperative/postoperative chemotherapy administration, gastrectomy type, presence of lymphatic metastasis, Tumour-Node-Metastasis stage, and tumour localization (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference between PGC and DGC in terms of length of hospital stay (P = 0.137). Five-year survival rates for PGC and DGC were 48.4% and 45.8%, respectively ( P = 0.863). pT stage, preoperative and postoperative chemotherapy were determined as independent risk factors (P < 0.05). The location of the tumour and the type of surgical resection did not affect the prognosis (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Tumour localization is not a prognostic factor in gastric cancer. When safe surgical margins were provided in DGC, total gastrectomy for DGC had no effect on the survival rate.