The prognostic value of gastrointestinal morbidity for gastric cancer

Objective. A history of gastrointestinal disease is a risk factor for organ ic gastrointestinal disorders overall. We conducted a retrospective case-co ntrol study to explore whether a history of gastrointestinal disease is of prognostic value for gastric cancer. Methods. Forty-six patients with gastric cancer were identified from a dyna mic population of approximately 12 000 patients followed since 1971 in four general practices. The control subjects without gastric cancer were matche d one-on-one according to age, general practice, sex and observation period . Data on gastrointestinal morbidity in the period before gastric cancer wa s diagnosed were obtained from the Continuous Morbidity Registration. Results. The mean observation period between the date of enrolment in the r egistration and the first diagnosis of gastric carcinoma was 12 years. Alth ough every patient with gastric cancer ultimately will develop gastrointest inal complaints, 28 of these patients had no previous gastrointestinal morb idity, in comparison with 26 control subjects. Furthermore, patients who de veloped gastric cancer did not have more frequent gastrointestinal morbidit y in their past than the control subjects (odds ratio 0.80, 95% CI 0.32-2.0 3), Conclusions. Our results suggest that a history of gastrointestinal morbidi ty is not of prognostic value for gastric cancer. Focusing attention an pat ients with a past history of gastrointestinal symptoms to detect gastric ca ncer may be of little value.