The prognosis of gastric cardia cancer after R0 resection.

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognosis of gastric cardia cancers in comparison with other gastric cancers.

METHODS

The medical records of 251 patients with gastric cardia cancers and 6568 patients with other gastric cancers who underwent R0 resection were reviewed. Clinicopathologic characteristics and survival were analyzed.

RESULTS

Gastric cardia cancer was associated with more advanced staging and less favorable clinicopathologic features at diagnosis compared with other gastric cancers. The overall 5-year survival rates were 79.7% and 84.6% in patients with cardia cancer and other cancers, respectively. There were no significant differences in survival curves between the groups at any stage. Lymph node metastasis was an independent prognostic factor for disease-free survival. The length of the proximal margin was not associated with locoregional tumor recurrence.

CONCLUSIONS

Although patients with gastric cardia cancers are diagnosed at an advanced stage, the long-term survival rates are similar to those with other gastric cancers. If curative resection with negative resection margin can be achieved, pN category is the only prognostic factor for survival.