Gastric cancer incidence down, survival up

(HealthDay)—Since 1984, there has been decreased incidence and increased survival rates for gastric cancer (GC), but long-term survival remains low, according to a study published online Oct. 19 in the Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

Fengze Sun, from the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University in China, and colleagues used the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database to explore changes in incidence and survival rates for GC from 1984 to 2013. They analyzed data on 87,242 cases of GC.

The researchers found that the incidence of GC was 7.4, 6.8, and 5.5 per 100,000 individuals in each decade. There was significant improvement in the one-year relative survival rates (RSRs), from 42.4 percent to 44.3 percent to 49 percent, with a larger increase seen in the third decade. However, long-term survival rates remained low (five-year RSRs: 17.8 percent to 20.3 percent to 22.9 percent; 10-year RSRs: 14.1 percent to 16.4 percent to 18.6 percent).

"Our analysis demonstrated the decreased incidence and increased survival rate of GC. In addition, lower [socioeconomic status] was associated with lower survival rates," the authors write. "It is notable that others (primarily for Asians) had the highest incidence rate but had better outcomes than whites and blacks."