Gastric malignancies in Northern Jordan with special emphasis on descriptive epidemiology

AIM: To study the epidemiology of gastric malignancies in Jordan as a model for Middle East countries where such data is scarce.METHODS: Pertinent epidemiological and clinicopathological data for 201 patients with gastric malignancy in north of Jordan between 1991 and 2001 were analyzed.RESULTS: Male: female ratio was 1.8:1. The mean age was 61.2 years, and 8.5% of the patients were younger than 40 years of age. The overall age-adjusted incidence was 5.82/100 000 population/year. The age specific incidence for males raised from 1.48 in those aged 30-39 years to 72.4 in those aged 70-79 years. Adenocarcinomas,gastric lymphomas, malignant stromal tumors, and carcinoids were found in 87.5%, 8%, 2.5%, and 2% respectively. There was an average of 10.1-month delay between the initial symptoms and the diagnosis. Only 82 patients underwent 'curative' gastrectomy. Among adenocarcinoma groups, Lauren intestinal type was the commonest (72.2%) and the distal third was the most common localization (48.9%). The mean follow up for patients with gastric adenocarcinoma was 25.1 mo (range 1-132 mo). The 5-year survival rates for stages Ⅰ (n=15),Ⅱ(n=41), Ⅲ (n=59), and Ⅳ (n=53) were 67.3%, 41.3%,5.7%, and 0% respectively (P=0.0001). The overall 5 year survival was 21.1%.CONCLUSION: Despite low incidence, some epidemiological features of gastric cancer in Jordan mimic those of highrisk areas. Patients are detected and treated after a relatively long delay. No justification in favor of a possibleg astric cancer screening effort in Jordan is supported byour study; rather, the need of an earlier diagnosis andsubsequent better care.

AIM:To study the epidemiology of gastric malignancies in Jordan as a model for Middle East countries where such data is scarce. METHODS:Pertinent epidemiological and clinicopathological data for 201 patients with gastric malignancy in north of Jordan between 1991 and 2001 were analyzed. RESULTS:Male:female ratio was 1.8:1.The mean age was 61.2 years,and 8.5% of the patients were younger than 40 years of age.The overall age-adjusted incidence was 5.82/100 000 population/year.The age specific incidence for males raised from 1.48 in those aged 30-39 years to 72.4 in those aged 70-79 years.Adenocarcinomas, gastric lymphomas,malignant stromal tumors,and carcinoids were found in 87.5%,8%,2.5%,and 2% respectively.There was an average of 10.1-month delay between the initial symptoms and the diagnosis.Only 82 patients underwent“curative”gastrectomy.Among adenocarcinoma groups,Lauren intestinal type was the commonest(72.2%)and the distal third was the most common localization(48.9%).The mean follow up for patients with gastric adenocarcinoma was 25.1 mo(range 1-132mo).The 5-year survival rates for stages Ⅰ(n=15), Ⅱ(n=41),Ⅲ(n=59),and Ⅳ(n=53) were 67.3%,41.3%, 5.7%,and 0% respectively(P=0.0001).The overall 5 year survival was 21.1%. CONCLUSION:Despite low inddence,some epidemiological features of gastric cancer in Jordan mimic those of high- risk areas.Patients are detected and treated after a relatively long delay.No justification in favor of a possible gastric cancer screening effort in Jordan is supported by our study;rather,the need of an earlier diagnosis and subsequent better care.