Clinicopathologic findings and results of surgical treatment in cardiac adenocarcinoma

Background and Objectives: There is a great deal of controversy regarding t he definition, classification, and staging of cardiac adenocarcinoma (CA). Recently, a shift from distal to proximal lesions has been documented in ga stric cancer. We have stratified our cases of gastric cancer as CA, distal gastric cancer (DGC), and stump cancer (SC). Methods: Between 1986 and 1998, 450 patients with gastric cancer were opera ted on at our institute. The resectability rate was 81.6%. Of 367 patients, 48 were CA, 298 DGC, and 21 SC. These 3 groups were compared in terms of c linicopathologic factors and survival rates. Results: CA was significantly higher in male patients and showed a prevalen ce of the Lauren intestinal type. Regarding staging parameters, CA showed a higher rate of T3 tumors and of resection line involvement. Five-year surv ival rates were 23.2% for CA, 45.0% for DGC, and 17.4% for SC. Conclusions: A possible cause of the poor outcome of CA is presentation at a more advanced stage. CA was similar to SC as far as epidemiology, patholo gic factors, and survival rates. (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.