Prognostic value of differentiation status in gastric cancer

BACKGROUND: Up to date, investigation of the prognostic value of differentiation status mainly focused on signet ring cell and mucinous gastric cancer. Thus, the present study aims to investigate the clinicopathological features and prognosis of gastric cancer patients with well, moderately and poorly differentiation status. METHODS: From September 2008 to March 2015, a total of 3090 gastric cancer patients treated with radical D2 gastrectomy were enrolled in the present study. Clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of gastric cancer patients with well, moderately and poorly differentiation status were analyzed. RESULTS: There were 2422 male (78.4%) and 668 female (21.6%). The median age was 58 (20–90) years. There were 370 (12.0%) well differentiated tumors, 836 (27.0%) moderately differentiated tumors and 1884 (61.0%) poorly differentiated tumors. Well and moderately differentiation status were associated with older age, male gender, smaller tumor, shallower invasion, less lymph node involvement and earlier tumor stage (all p < 0.001). Inversely, poorly differentiation status was associated with younger age, female gender, larger tumor, deeper invasion, more lymph node involvement and later tumor stage (all p < 0.001). With respect to prognosis, well differentiation status was associated with favorable overall survival and poorly differentiation status was associated with unfavorable overall survival (p < 0.001). However, after matching with age, tumor size, T and N stage, there was no significant difference among the overall survival of the three groups (p = 0.415). CONCLUSIONS: Well, moderately and poorly differentiation status was significantly associated with clinicopathological features of gastric cancer patients. However, it was not associated with the prognosis of gastric cancer patients.