J Gastric Cancer.  2015 Mar;15(1):19-28. 10.5230/jgc.2015.15.1.19.

Significant Differences in the Clinicopathological Characteristics and Survival of Gastric Cancer Patients from Two Cancer Centers in China and Korea

• Shen ZL
• Song KY
• Ye YJ
• Xie QW
• Liang B
• Jiang K
• Park CH
• Wang S

• KMID: 2372367
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5230/jgc.2015.15.1.19

Abstract

PURPOSE
To compare the clinicopathological data and long-term survival of gastric cancer patients in China and Korea.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Patients who had undergone gastrectomy for gastric cancer between 1998 and 2009 in 2 high-volume institutions in both China (n=1,637) and Korea (n=2,231) were retrospectively evaluated. Clinicopathological variables, overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and surgery-related complications were assessed for all patients and compared between the 2 institutions.
RESULTS
Chinese patients included in the study were significantly older and had a significantly lower body mass index (BMI) than the Korean patients. Esophagogastric junction tumors were more frequent in Chinese patients. However, the number of patients with stage I gastric cancer, the number of harvested lymph nodes, and the number of total gastrectomies were significantly higher in the Korean population. Korean patients also presented with fewer undifferentiated tumors than Chinese patients. Furthermore, Korean patients had prolonged OS and PFS for stage III cancers only. BMI, tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage, tumor invasion, number of positive lymph nodes, and distant metastases were all independent factors affecting OS and PFS.
CONCLUSIONS
Although China and Korea are neighboring Asian countries, the clinicopathological characteristics of Chinese patients are significantly different from those of Korean patients. Korean gastric cancer patients had longer OS and PFS than Chinese patients. Influencing factors included TNM stage, tumor invasion, and lymph node metastasis.

Keyword

Stomach neoplasms; Korea; China; Clinicopathological characteristics; Survival

MeSH Terms

Asian Continental Ancestry Group
Body Mass Index
China*
Disease-Free Survival
Esophagogastric Junction
Gastrectomy
Humans
Korea
Lymph Nodes
Neoplasm Metastasis
Retrospective Studies
Stomach Neoplasms*

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Comparison of the overall survival (OS) of gastric cancer patients in both China and Korea. (A) Comparison of the OS of gastric cancer patients with all disease stages. (B) Comparison of the OS of stage I gastric cancer patients. (C) Comparison of the OS of stage II gastric cancer patients. (D) Comparison of the OS of stage III gastric cancer patients. (E) Comparison of the OS of stage IV gastric cancer patients. Cum = culmulative.

• 

  Fig. 2 Comparison of the overall survival (OS) of gastric cancer patients with different T and N stages in both China and Korea. (A) Comparison of the OS of stage T1 gastric cancer patients. (B) Comparison of the OS of stage T2 gastric cancer patients. (C) Comparison of the OS of stage T3 gastric cancer patients. (D) Comparison of the OS of stage T4 gastric cancer patients. (E) Comparison of the OS of stage N0 gastric cancer patients. (F) Comparison of the OS of stage N1 gastric cancer patients. (G) Comparison of the OS of stage N2 gastric cancer patients. (H) Comparison of the OS of stage N3 gastric cancer patients. Cum = culmulative.

• 

  Fig. 3 Comparison of the progression-free survival (PFS) of gastric cancer patients in both China and Korea. (A) Comparison of the PFS of gastric cancer patients with all disease stages. (B) Comparison of the PFS of stage I gastric cancer patients. (C) Comparison of the PFS of stage II gastric cancer patients. (D) Comparison of the PFS of stage III gastric cancer patients. (E) Comparison of PFS of stage IV gastric cancer patients. Cum = culmulative.

• 

  Fig. 4 Comparison of the progression-free survival (PFS) of gastric cancer patients with different T and N stages in both China and Korea. (A) Comparison of the PFS of stage T1 gastric cancer patients. (B) Comparison of the PFS of stage T2 gastric cancer patients. (C) Comparison of the PFS of stage T3 gastric cancer patients. (D) Comparison of the PFS of stage T4 gastric cancer patients. (E) Comparison of the PFS of stage N0 gastric cancer patients. (F) Comparison of the PFS of stage N1 gastric cancer patients. (G) Comparison of the PFS of stage N2 gastric cancer patients. (H) Comparison of the PFS of stage N3 gastric cancer patients. Cum = culmulative.

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