Journal List > Korean J Gastroenterol > v.58(5) > 1006875

Kim, Choi, Seo, Jung, Choi, Ahn, Choi, Kim, Kim, Jang, Lee, Kim, and Shin: The Comparison between 6th and 7th International Union Against Cancer/American Joint Committee on Cancer Classification for Survival Prognosis of Gastric Cancer

Abstract

Background/Aims

The tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) staging is an useful system to assess the prognosis of any solid cancer. As new TNM staging classification of 7th stomach cancer was revised in 2009, we evaluated the prognostic predictability of the 7th International Union Against Cancer/American Joint Committee on Cancer (UICC/AJCC) TNM classification compared to 6th UICC/AJCC TNM classification in gastric cancer.

Methods

From January 2000 to December 2009, 5-year survival rates of 266 patients with gastric cancer were calculated by the 6th and 7th UICC/AJCC TNM classification.

Results

Using the 7th UICC/AJCC TNM classification, there was no significant difference in the 5-year cumulative survival rates (5 YSR) between stage IIA and IIB, IIB and IIIA, and IIIA and IIIB (70% vs. 71%, p=0.530; 71% vs. 80%, p=0.703; 80% vs. 75%, p=0.576, respectively) though significant differences of the survival rates were observed among stages of 6th edition. Using T stage of 7th edition, 5 YSR was not different between T2 and T3 (86% vs. 82%, p=0.655). Using N stage of 7th edition, 5 YSR were not different between N1 and N2, N3a and N3b (79% vs. 81%, p=0.506; 41% vs. 17%, p=0.895, respectively).

Conclusions

The 7th UICC/AJCC TNM classification had poor prognostic predictability in gastric cancer compared to the 6th edition.

References

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Fig. 1.
Survival rates according to depth of invasion (T) stage in 6 th (A) and 7 th (B) International Union Against Cancer/American Joint Committee on Cancer (T2 vs. T3, p=0.655). ysr, year survival rate.
kjg-58-258f1.tif
Fig. 2.
Survival rate according to lymph node invasion (N) stage in 6 th (A) and 7 th (B) International Union Against Cancer/American Joint Committee on Cancer (N1 vs. N2, p=0.506; N3a vs. T3b, p=0.895). ysr, year survival rate.
kjg-58-258f2.tif
Fig. 3.
Survival rate according to group (TNM) stage in 6 th (A) and 7 th (B) International Union Against Cancer/American Joint Committee on Cancer (IIA vs. IIB, p=0.530; IIB vs. IIIA, p=0.703; IIIA vs. IIIB, p=0.576). ysr, year survival rate.
kjg-58-258f3.tif
Table 1.
The Comparison between 6th and 7th UICC/AJCC TNM Classification of Gastric Cancer
Group T N M
6th 7th
0 0   Tis N0  
IA   A T1 N0  
IB I B T1 N1  
IB     T2 N0  
IB   A T1 N2  
II     T2 N1  
IB     T3 N0  
II II B T1 N3  
II     T2 N2  
IIIA     T3 N1  
IIIA     T4a N0 M0
IIIA   A T2 N3  
IIIA     T3 N2  
IIIA     T4a N1  
IIIA   B T3 N3  
IIIB III   T4a N2  
IV III   T4b N1  
IV     T4b N0  
IIIB   C T4a N3  
IV     T4b N2  
IV     T4b N3  
IV IV anyT anyN M1

UICC/AJCC, International Union Against Cancer/American Joint Committee on Cancer; TNM, tumor-node-metastasis.

Table 2.
Clinical Characteristics of the Enrolled Gastric Cancer Patients
Variables Values
Mean age, yr (range) 61.95 (31–89)
Male sex, n (%) 185 (69.5)
Survival month, median (range) 29.8 (1–115)
   Tumor location, n (%)  
   Proximal 23 (8.6)
   Middle 97 (36.5)
   Distal 109 (41.0)
   Two-thirds or more 37 (13.9)
Tumor size, n (%)  
   ≤5 cm 169 (63.5)
   >5 cm 97 (36.5)
Histology a, n (%)  
   Well/moderate differentiated adenocarcinoma 115 (43.2)
   Poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma 99 (37.2)
   Signet ring cell carcinoma 52 (19.6)

a World Health Organization's histological classification of gastric cancer.

Table 3.
The Comparison of Distribution between 6 th and 7 th UICC/AJCC TNM Classification
6 th UICC/AJCC 7 th UICC/AJCC
Depth of invasion, n (%)
T1 115 (43.2) T1 115 (43.2)
T2 58 (21.8) T2 34 (12.8)
T3 86 (32.3) T3 26 (9.8)
T4 7 (2.7) T4a 86 (32.3)
    T4b 5 (1.9)
Nodal status, n (%)
N0 160 (60.2) N0 160 (60.2)
N1 63 (23.7) N1 35 (13.5)
N2 31 (11.6) N2 28 (10.5)
N3 12 (4.5) N3a 33 (12.4)
    N3b 10 (3.4)
Stage, n (%)
IA 81 (30.5) IA 81 (30.5)
IB 40 (15) IB 34 (12.8)
II 50 (18.8) IIA 16 (6.0)
IIIA 54 (20.3) IIB 35 (13.2)
IIIB 12 (4.5) IIIA 33 (12.4)
IV 29 (10.9) IIIB 24 (9.0)
    IIIC 25 (9.3)
    IV 18 (6.8)

UICC/AJCC, International Union Against Cancer/American Joint Committee on Cancer.

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