Evaluating Dissemination of Adequate Lymphadenectomy for Gastric Cancer in the USA

Survival Outcomes and Patterns of Care for Stage II or III Resected Gastric Cancer by Race and Ethnicity

Importance

Many multimodality treatment regimens exist for gastric adenocarcinoma, including neoadjuvant vs adjuvant chemotherapy, radiation, or both. Neoadjuvant therapy is recommended in the United States for patients with locally advanced gastric cancer; however, it is unknown whether the outcomes of neoadjuvant therapy are associated with race and ethnicity.

Objective

To evaluate the differences in outcomes by race and ethnicity of patients with noncardia gastric cancer undergoing surgical procedures with and without neoadjuvant therapy.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This retrospective cohort study examined the National Cancer Database from the American College of Surgeons for patients with clinical stage II or III gastric adenocarcinoma, excluding gastric cardia tumors, undergoing surgical resection procedures from January 2006 to December 2019. Statistical analysis was performed from December 2021 to May 2023.

Exposure

Patients were stratified by race and ethnicity, and their outcomes were analyzed for those who received and did not receive neoadjuvant therapy.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The Cox proportional hazard model was used to compare overall survival (OS) between racial and ethnic groups (Asian, Black, Hispanic, and White) overall and according to receipt of neoadjuvant therapy. Among those who received neoadjuvant therapy, proportional differences in pathological responses were calculated in each group.

Results

Among a total of 6938 patients in the cohort, 4266 (61.4%) were male; mean (SD) age was 65.9 (12.8) years; 1046 (15.8%) were Asian, 1606 (24.3%) were Black, 1175 (17.8%) were Hispanic, and 3540 (53.6%) were White. Compared with other races and ethnicities, the group of White patients had significantly more who were 65 years or older with more comorbidities. White patients underwent surgical resection procedures alone without neoadjuvant or adjuvant therapy more frequently than other races and ethnicities. Asian and Black patients had the highest proportion of being downstaged or achieving pathological complete response after neoadjuvant therapy. In multivariate models, perioperative chemotherapy was associated with improved OS (HR, 0.79 [95% CI, 0.69-0.90]), whereas number of positive lymph nodes and surgical margins were associated with the largest decreases in OS. Asian and Hispanic race and ethnicity were associated with significantly improved OS compared with Black and White races (eg, Asian patients: HR, 0.64 [95% CI, 0.58-0.72]; and Hispanic patients: HR, 0.77 [95% CI, 0.69-0.85]). Black race was associated with improved OS compared with White race when receiving neoadjuvant therapy (HR, 0.78 [95% CI, 0.67-0.90]).

Conclusions and Relevance

In this large nationwide cohort study of survival outcomes among patients with resected clinical stage II or III gastric cancer, there were significant differences in response to treatment and OS between different racial and ethnic groups.

Evaluation of Nationwide Trends in Nodal Sampling Guideline Adherence for Gastric Cancer: 2005-2017

INTRODUCTION

Surgical resection is the primary curative treatment for localized gastric cancer. A multitude of research supports surgical nodal sampling guidelines. Though there are known disparities in adherence to nodal sampling, it is unclear how hospital program-level disparities have changed over time. The purpose of this study is to evaluate trends in program-level disparities in adherence to gastric cancer nodal sampling guidelines.

METHODS

Patients who underwent resection of gastric cancer from 2005 to 2017 were identified in the National Cancer Database. Patients treated at academic programs were compared to those treated at nonacademic programs, and rates and trends of adherence to nodal sampling guidelines (defined as ≥15 lymph nodes) were determined. Adjusted multivariable analysis was used to determine likelihood of nodal sampling adherence while controlling for sociodemographic, clinical, hospital, and travel distance characteristics.

RESULTS

A total of 55,421 patients were included with 27,201 (49.1%) of patients meeting adherence criteria for lymph node sampling. Academic programs treated 44.4% of the total cohort. Overall, lymph node sampling criteria were met in 59.2% of patients treated at high-volume academic programs and 37.0% of patients treated at low-volume nonacademic programs (incidence rate ratios 0.67, 95% confidence interval 0.63-0.72 versus high-volume academic programs). Adherence rates improved from 2005 to 2017 for both low-volume nonacademic programs (27.8% in 2005 to 50.1% in 2017) and high-volume academic programs (46.0% in 2005 to 69.8% in 2017, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Though adherence rates have improved from 2005 to 2017, high-volume academic programs were more likely to adhere to lymph node sampling guidelines for gastric cancer.

Gastric Cancer Surgery in the US: a Contemporary Trend Analysis of Lymphadenectomy and the Impact of Minimally Invasive Approaches

BACKGROUND

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines recommend harvesting 16 or more lymph nodes for the adequate staging of gastric adenocarcinoma. This study examines the rate of adequate lymphadenectomy over recent years, its predictors, and its impact on overall survival(OS).

STUDY DESIGN

The National Cancer Database was utilized to identify patients who underwent surgical treatment for gastric adenocarcinoma between 2006-2019. Trend analysis was performed for lymphadenectomy rates during the study period. Logistic regression, Kaplan-Meier survival plots, and Cox proportional hazard regression were utilized.

RESULTS

A total of 57,039 patients who underwent surgical treatment for gastric adenocarcinoma were identified. Only 50.5% of the patients underwent a lymphadenectomy of ≥ 16 nodes. Trend analysis showed that this rate significantly improved over the years, from 35.1% in 2006 to 63.3% in 2019 (p < .0001). The main independent predictors of adequate lymphadenectomy included high-volume facility with ≥ 31 gastrectomies/year (OR: 2.71; 95%CI:2.46-2.99), surgery between 2015-2019 (OR: 1.68; 95%CI: 1.60-1.75), and preoperative chemotherapy (OR:1.49; 95%CI:1.41-1.58). Patients with adequate lymphadenectomy had better OS than patients who did not: median survival: 59 versus 43 months (Log-Rank: p < .0001). Adequate lymphadenectomy was independently associated with improved OS (HR:0.79; 95%CI:0.77-0.81). Laparoscopic and robotic gastrectomies were independently associated with adequate lymphadenectomy compared to open, OR: 1.11, 95%CI:1.05-1.18 and OR: 1.24, 95%CI:1.13-1.35, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Although the rate of adequate lymphadenectomy improved over the study period, a large number of patients still lacked adequate lymph node dissection, negatively impacting their OS despite multimodality therapy. Laparoscopic and robotic surgeries were associated with a significantly higher rate of lymphadenectomy ≥ 16 nodes.

The Association of Race With Adequate Lymph Node Evaluation for Gastric Cancer

BACKGROUND

National studies have reported racial and socioeconomic disparities in gastric cancer (GC) care. The current study evaluated adequate lymph node (LN) assessment (≥16 LNs) during resection for GC within a healthcare system servicing a socioeconomically disparate, mostly non-White population in the Southeast United States.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing resection for GC between 2003-2019 was performed. Factors associated with adequate LN assessment including patient and tumor characteristics were analyzed.

RESULTS

Among 202 patients, adequate LN assessment was performed in 97 (48%) patients. On univariable analysis, younger age, non-White race, lower Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), Medicaid or no insurance, D1+/D2 lymphadenectomy, clinical evidence of regional LN metastases, total gastrectomy, and receipt of neoadjuvant therapy were associated with adequate LN assessment. On multivariable analysis, non-White race (OR 2.79, 95% CI 1.38-5.65), CCI <4 (OR 2.14, 95% CI 1.15-3.96), and D1+/D2 lymphadenectomy (OR 3.63, 95% CI 1.96-6.74) were the only factors independently associated with adequate LN evaluation.

CONCLUSIONS

In the current study, non-White race, independent of socioeconomics, was significantly associated with adequate LN assessment. Future work is necessary to improve standardization and achieve higher rates of adequate LN assessment for all patients during resection for GC.

Proximal Gastrectomy Is a Viable Alternative to Total Gastrectomy in Early Stage Proximal Gastric Cancer

Background:

Total gastrectomy with Roux-en-Y esophagojejunostomy is a life-extending procedure for patients with nonmetastatic proximal gastric and gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma, yet it can be a life-altering procedure with negative impact on quality of life.¹ Perioperative recovery often involves the need for supplemental nutrition (either enteral or parenteral). Furthermore, long-term effects of early satiety, dysphagia, sustained weight loss, and difficulty in maintaining a healthy weight, dumping syndrome, and intestinal overgrowth are not unusual. Although the alternative of untreated cancer is clearly unacceptable, these lifestyle consequences are not benign.

Methods:

A retrospective review of patients who had undergone laparoscopic total and proximal gastrectomy for gastric adenocarcinoma was conducted. Patient demographic data, pathologic parameters, and short-term and long-term clinical data were compared between total gastrectomy and proximal gastrectomy cohorts.

Results:

Seventeen patients were included in the study: 13 had undergone laparoscopic total gastrectomy (LTG) and 4 had undergone laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy (LPG). Patients who had LPG, given the nature of the procedure, were confined to early stage (up to T2) tumors in the gastric cardia or GE junction. Patients who had LTG tended to be larger, later stage tumors (but not exclusively). The mean operative time was greater for LTG than for LPG (247 ± 54 versus 181 ± 49 min, respectively, P = .036). Length of hospital stay (9.0 ± 3.2 versus 5.0 ± 0.8 days, P < .001) and readmission for postoperative complication (38.5 versus 0%, P = .009) were also higher in the LTG group. There was no significant difference in terms of mean estimated blood loss or blood transfusion rates, overall complications, or anastomotic stricture requiring endoscopic dilation between the patients who underwent LTG and those who underwent LPG.

Conclusion:

In early stage tumors (T1b or T2), proximal gastrectomy (PG) should be considered to mitigate diminished quality of life. PG with esophagogastrostomy, which can easily be performed minimally invasively, can be more tolerable for the patient, with no anatomic basis for dumping syndrome or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), and a greater reservoir for more normal meal habits when compared to total gastrectomy (TG) with Roux-en-Y reconstruction.

The impact of race and socioeconomic status on the presentation, management and outcomes for gastric cancer patients: Analysis from a metropolitan area in the southeast United States

BACKGROUND

Socioeconomic disparities in gastric cancer have been associated with differences in care and inferior outcomes. We evaluated the presentation, treatment, and survival for patients with gastric cancer (GC) in a metropolitan setting with a large African American population.

METHODS

Retrospective cohort analysis of patients with GC (2003-2018) across a multi-hospital system was performed. Associations between socioeconomic and clinicopathologic data with the presentation, treatment, and survival were examined.

RESULTS

Of 359 patients, 255 (71%) were African American and 104 (29%) Caucasian. African Americans were more likely to present at a younger age (64.0 vs 72.5, P < .001), have state-sponsored or no insurance (19.7% vs 6.9%, P = .02), reside within the lowest 2 quintiles for median income (67.4% vs 32.7%, P < .001), and have higher rates of Helicobacter pylori (14.9% vs 4.8%, P = .02). Receipt of multi-modality therapy was not impacted by race or insurance status. On multivariable analysis, only AJCC T class (HR 1.68) and node positivity (HR 2.43) remained significant predictors of disease-specific survival.

CONCLUSION

Despite socioeconomic disparities, African Americans, and Caucasians with GC had similar treatment and outcomes. African Americans presented at a younger age with higher rates of H. pylori positivity, warranting further investigation into differences in risk factors and tumor biology.