Abstract
Introduction: In the treatment of gastric cancer there is an active debate on whether the use of adjuvant chemotherapy provides greater survival compared to gastrectomy surgery. The present study identifies the disease-free period in patients with gastric cancer in clinical stages IB, II, IIIA, IIIB and VAT treated with McDonald protocol versus surgery alone.
Methods: The present retrospective longitudinal study was performed in patients with gastric cancer treated in Solca-Quito in the period 2002 to 2007. Survival in the groups was determined using Kaplan Meier.
Results: There were 67 patients in each group. With stage IB, 6 cases with MacDonald protocol had a survival of 129 weeks VS 18 cases with surgery, 173.9 weeks (P = 0.34). In stage II, 18 cases with MacDonald protocol, survival of 132.5 weeks VS 7 cases with surgery, 173.9 weeks (P = 0.053). In stage IIIA, 20 cases with MacDonald protocol, survival of 115.4 weeks VS 16 cases with surgery, 85.9 weeks (P = 0.31). In stage IIIB, 10 cases with MacDonald protocol, survival of 88.2 weeks VS 9 cases with surgery, 81.6 weeks (P = 0.84). In stage IVA, 13 cases with MacDonald protocol, survival of 104.9 weeks VS 17 cases with surgery, 52.6 weeks (P = 0.079).
Conclusions: In the present study there were no statistical differences between the survival of patients with gastric cancer who underwent surgery with gastrectomy versus patients who underwent adjuvant chemotherapy.