Determination of Effective Factors on Survival of GI Cancers: Results of Five Years Follow up in Iranian Population

BACKGROUND: The gastrointestinal cancers are among the most common cause of cancer-related death and their long term survival is very low. This study was aimed to determine the effective factors on survival of gastrointestinal cancers among Iranian population during 5 years of follow up. METHODS: In total, 157 patients diagnosed as gastrointestinal cancers from 2007 to 2009 in the only center of endoscopy in Alvand city, northwest of Qazvin province were included and followed for five years. The univariate and multivariate analysis were done using Kaplan-Meier method and the Cox model respectively. RESULTS: Observations of 146 patients were analyzed (99 (67.8%) males and 47 (32.2%) females). The mean age was 64.73± 13.23 and 58.28±13.91 for females and males respectively. The one and three years survival rates for esophageal cancer were 28% and 9% and the one, three and five years survival rates for gastric cancer were 31%, 26% and 14% and for colorectal cancer were 96%, 86% and 75% respectively. In the univariate analysis, variables of age, educational level, ethnicity, smoking, type of cancer, stage of disease and type of treatment had significant effects on survival. In the multivariate analysis, the type of cancer and type of treatment affected the survival of patients as effective factors (p<005). CONCLUSION: Patients with esophageal cancer and those who underwent RT &/or CT are exposed to higher risk of death. Combination therapies (Surgery and adjuvant or neoadjuvant therapy) were related to be her survival. Early diagnosis and use of extended cancer screening programs seem necessary to improve survival.