OBJECTIVETo investigate the approaches to improve therapeutic effect of stomach cancer by analysis of the long-term results of surgical treatment of this disease.

METHODSPrognostic factors of stomach cancer were analyzed by Cox multivariate regression model based on clinical data of 2561 stomach cancer cases who underwent surgical treatment from 1964 to 2004 at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center. Survival rates were calculated by life table method.

RESULTSGastrectomy was performed for 1950 cases with resectability of 76.1%, among which there were 1192 cases of curative resection (46.5%) and 758 cases of non-curative resection (29.6%). The other 611 cases of palliative operation included bypass procedures and laparotomy. Operative mortality of all cases was 0.8% and morbidity was 5.1%. For all cases the 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rate was 52.4%, 38.6% and 35.5%, respectively. The stage-specific 5-year survival rate was 86.8% (Stage I), 58.7% (Stage II), 28.4% (Stage III) and 7.6% (Stage IV), respectively. The 5-year survival after curative resection in the period of 40 years was 45.5%, and increased to 52.7% in the last two decades and 61.8% in recent decade. Stage-specific case proportion during the earlier two decades was 1.4% (Stage I), 10.6% (Stage II), 23.1% (Stage III) and 64.9% (Stage IV), respectively, and that during the recent two decades was 9.3%, 18.5%, 35.3% and 36.8%, respectively. The 5-year survival rate of cases during the earlier two decades was 18.0% and increased to 37.5% during the recent two decades. Multivariate analysis indicated that main prognostic factors of stomach cancer included TNM staging, curative resection and multidisciplinary treatment.

CONCLUSIONSEarly detection and curative resection were the most important measures to improve therapeutic effect of stomach cancer. A surgery-predominant multidisciplinary treatment individualizing biological characteristics of tumor, staging of disease and tumor site will contribute to improvement of therapeutic effect of stomach cancer.