Characteristics, therapy and outcome in an unselected and prospectively registered cohort of patients with gastro-oesophageal cancer. (March 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Schønnemann, Katrine R.; Mortensen, Michael B.; Bjerregaard, Jon K.; Fristrup, Claus; Pfeiffer, Per
• Is Part Of: Acta oncologica. Volume 53:Number 3(2014)
• Page Start: 385
• Page End: 391
• Publication Date: 2014-03
• Subjects: Oncology -- Periodicals; Cancer -- Treatment -- Periodicals; 616.992
• DOI: 10.3109/0284186X.2013.820839
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0284-186X

Abstract

<abstract> <title>Abstract</title> <p> <italic>Purpose.</italic> The purpose was to examine characteristics, treatment and outcome in an unselected, prospectively registered complete population of patients with gastro-oesophageal adenocarcinoma cancer (GEA). <italic>Methods.</italic> 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. <italic>Results.</italic> 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. <italic>Conclusion.</italic> 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.</p> </abstract>