Retrospective evaluations of gastric cancer patients who were followed up at Karadeniz Technical University Faculty of Medicine between 2012-2023 years

Aim: In this study, it was aimed to investigate the demographic data of patients diagnosed with gastric cancer, the location of the tumor, the effect of various laboratory parameters on gastric cancer survival and the effect of treatment on survival. Materials and Methods: 2680 patients diagnosed with gastric cancer who were followed up at the Oncology/Gastroenterology clinics at Karadeniz Technical University Faculty of Medicine, Farabi Hospital between 2012 and 2023 were identified, and the data of 699 patients who met the study criteria were examined. Sociodemographic characteristics (age at diagnosis, gender, residence...), comorbidities, risk factors, symptoms, laboratory findings, tumor location, tumor pathology, stage, treatments received, and survival status of the included patients were recorded. Results: Of the 699 patients included in our study, 478 were men (68.4%) and 221 were women (31.6%). The average age at diagnosis was 63.14 ± 12.58 years; The minimum age at diagnosis was 25 and the maximum age at diagnosis was 94. Considering the comorbidities of the patients, it was observed that 93 patients (13.3%) had diabetes mellitus, 198 patients (28.3%) had hypertension, 88 patients (12.6%) had coronary artery disease, and 20 patients (2.9%) had cerebrovascular disease. Looking at the symptoms distribution of the patients at the time of diagnosis; The complaints were abdominal pain (49.2%) in the first place, weight loss in the second place (37.5%) and dyspepsia (20.3%) in the third place. Considering the laboratory parameters of the patients at the time of diagnosis; mean hemoglobine value 11.77 ± 2.55 g/dL, mean neutrophil value 5.19 ± 2.49 μL, mean lymphocyte value 1.91 ± 1.35 μL, mean Neutrophil/Lymphocyte ratio 3.37 ± 3.23, mean CEA value was determined as 20.45 ± 114.92 µg /dl, and the average CA 19-9 value was 110.98 ± 384.02 U/ml. The patients were examined according to tumor location areas, 390 patients (55.8%) had in the antrum, 249 patients (35.6%) had in the corpus, 147 patients (21%) had in the cardia, 74 patients (10.6%) had in the pylorus, 38 patients (5,4%) had in the fundus. The patients were evaluated according to their tumor pathologies, 613 patients (87.7%) had Adenocarcinoma, 116 patients (16.6%) had Signet Ring Cell Carcinoma, 31 patients (4.4%) had GIST, and 19 patients (2.7%) had Neuroendocrine Carcinoma. . The data of the patients were examined according to the treatment they received, 112 patients (16%) received neoadjuvant chemotherapy, 374 patients (53.5%) received adjuvant chemotherapy, 111 patients (15.9%) received radiotherapy, and 2 patients (0.3%) received immunotherapy. The patients who underwent surgery were examined, 300 patients (42.9%) underwent subtotal gastrectomy, 256 patients (36.6%) underwent total gastrectomy, and 29 patients (4.1%) underwent wedge resection. The relationship between age groups and survival is analyzed; Survival was observed to be low in older ages. The relationship between anemia and survival is evaluated that those with anemia had a lower survival rate. The patients were evaluated according to the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio that those with a high neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio had lower survival. In patients evaluated according to treatment options that the survival of those who did not receive neoadjuvant chemotherapy was lower than those who received it. The adjuvant chemotherapy survival relationship was examined, no statistically significant difference was detected. The patients who underwent surgery were examined that the survival rate of patients with subtotal gastrectomy was higher than those without surgery, the survival of patients with total gastrectomy was higher than those without surgery, and the survival of those who underwent wedge resection was higher than those without surgery. It was also observed that the survival of patients who underwent subtotal gastrectomy was higher than that of patients who underwent total gastrectomy. Conclusion: Our study was related to the sociodemographic characteristics of gastric cancer patients, laboratory parameters, the treatments they received and their effects on survival. Therefore, factors affecting morbidity and mortality should be targeted in the management of patients with gastric cancer.