Pattern of upper Gastaro Intestinal
malignancies in Northern Punjab

Durrani AA¹, Nayyar Yaqoob², Shahid Abbasi³,
Masood Siddiq⁴, Shaheen Moin⁵

ABSTRACT

Objective: To record the number of cases of carcinoma of stomach, geographical location and histological diagnosis presenting to a hospital in northern Punjab

Methodology: This study was conducted at the department of medicine (GI unit) Fauji Foundation Hospital Rawalpindi. All the patients who underwent upper GI endoscopy and were found to have an upper GI malignancy on histopathology were reviewed for part of the gut involved. Patient demographics including age, sex, and place of residence, clinical presentation, and subsequent histologic diagnosis were recorded.

Results: During the study period, 302 cases of upper GI malignancy were seen at our institution, 83 (14.8%) were in patients 40 years of age or younger. Mean patient age was 58 years. The lesion was distal in 43%, proximal in 20% and 7% involved the entire stomach. In 9.8% of the cases, lesser curve was the site. The tumor was located in the upper third, middle third and lower third in 33, 22 and 34.6% respectively. The common presenting symptom in case of carcinoma of stomach was pain epigastrium. Dysphagia was the major subjective complaint in cases of esophageal carcinoma.

Conclusion: The common malignant tumor in males was carcinoma of stomach and in females carcinoma of esophagus. Endoscopic screening in subjects suspected of upper gastrointestinal malignancy results in a significant yield of carcinoma. The gastric tumor in distal location (non cardia cancer) is still more common. Asian race is no different from other races as far as the ca stomach is concerned.  

KEYWORDS: Gastric cancer, Cardia cancer, Upper gastrointestinal cancer, Gastric adenocarcinoma, Esophageal adenocarcinoma, Endoscopy.

Pak J Med Sci    April - June 2009    Vol. 25 No. 2    302-307

How to cite this article:

Durrani AA, Yaqoob N, Abbasi S, Siddiq M, Moin S. Pattern of upper Gastaro Intestinal malignancies in Northern Punjab. Pak J Med Sci 2009;25(2):302-307.

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1. Durrani AA
2. Nayyar Yaqoob
3. Shahid Abbasi
4. Masood Siddiq
5. Shaheen Moin

Correspondence

Nayyar Yaqoob,
Fauji Foundation Hospital,
Rawalpindi - Pakistan.
E-mail: drnayyaryaqoob@gmail.com

* Received for Publication: October 7, 2008

* Revision Received: February 4, 2009 

* 2nd Revision Received: February 11, 2009

* Final Revision Accepted: February 13, 2009

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INTRODUCTION

Gastric and gastro-esophageal adenocarcinomas are a major health burden globally. The incidence of upper gastrointestinal malignancies varies widely based on geographic location, race, and socioeconomic class.

Gastric cancer remains the world’s third most common malignancy.1 A 2005 analysis of the global incidence and cancer related mortality revealed that 934,000 cases of gastric cancer occurred in 2002 and approximately 700,000 patients died annually from this problem.2 In 1996, about 22,800 new cases of stomach cancer were registered in the United States alone, and 14,000 succumbed to it. In industrialized countries, mortality from gastric cancer has declined steadily over the years whereas gastric cancer remains a leading cause of death from cancer in the developing world.

Geographical residence and dietary habits may play a part in the pathogenesis of gastric cancer. Social class and socioeconomic conditions of the inhabitants confer a significantly increased risk of developing gastric cancer. There is considerable intra-regional variation within high-risk areas. Migration from high to low risk areas and adopting dietary habits of the host country modifies the risk in second or third generations. Screening gastric cancer has been advocated in geographic regions where the prevalence of this disease is high. This study deals with upper GI cancers in the predominantly rural socioeconomically disadvantaged population of northern region of Pakistan.  

METHODOLOGY

Fauji Foundation Hospital is a district level hospital serving a well-defined segment of population (ex-servicemen and their dependents). The population was mostly derived from rural areas. We analyzed the data of these patients retrospectively. Cases of gastric cancer presenting for the first time during the fourteen-year period 1992-20006 were recorded. An open access endoscopy service has been available in our hospital for more than 14 years. Mode of presentation, duration of symptoms, previous history for dyspepsia and use of anti peptic ulcer drugs were documented. Alarming symptoms and signs suggestive of underlying malignancy like unexplained recent weight loss, dysphasia, haematemesis or melaena, anaemia, previous gastric surgery, a palpable mass were investigated with upper GI endoscopy followed by biopsy.

Demographic data including age, sex, and place of residence were recorded. Dietary habits were inquired from the subjects. Exact tumor site, sub site, and axial views were determined. The site of the tumor within the stomach was classified as lesser curvature, greater curvature, anterior wall, or posterior wall. Location was classified as distal type, cardia cancer, cancer located in the corpus. In addition, the endoscopic and the histological appearance of the tumor were analyzed. Cancers were classified by the predominant histological type, as follows: Squamous carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, scirrhous type, lymphoma, and further categorized into differentiated type, moderately differentiated, undifferentiated type or poorly differentiated carcinomas. Upper GI endoscopy was performed using video endoscopes (Olympus TJ 140 and JF 20).

RESULTS

Of the 375 patients, 159 males and 143 females, who visited the hospital GI clinic from March 1992 to Dec. 2006, with persistent upper gastrointestinal symptoms underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy to confirm the clinical suspicion of upper GI malignancies. The mean age of the patients was 58 years and 5% of the patients were younger than 40 years. The age range was 14 -85.

As regards geographical location of patients, one hundred forty (46%) came from Rawalpindi, one hundred ten (36%) came from Kashmir and fifty two (17%) were residents of Chakwal district.

Upper gastrointestinal cancer was reported histologically in 302 patients. The most frequent site was the gastric antrum 92 (30.3 %) followed by central esophagus 87 (28.7%), corpus 38 (12.5%), gastric cardia 45 (14.9%) distal oesophagus 18 (5.9%), gastro-oesophageal junction 14 (4.6%), and proximal oesophagus 9 (2.9%). From axial views of the cardia, 1% and 2.2% of tumours were found to originate from the lesser and greater curve, respectively.

Out of a total of 128 histologically proved cases of esophageal carcinoma, the histologic pattern was as follows: Squamous cell carcinoma was noted in 69% adenocarcinoma 28% and esophageal lymphoma 3%. There were 30 cases younger than 50 years. Ninety- eight cases were between 50 and 70 years. Out of a total of 175 histologically proved cases of gastric carcinoma, the histologic pattern identified was as follows: Gastric adenocarcinoma was reported in 85% gastric lymphoma 13%, gastric leiomyosarcoma in 2%.

One hundred and twenty three cases were of intestinal type (one hundred and two moderately differentiated; twenty one poorly differentiated). Sixty-two cases were poorly differentiated diffuse type carcinomas. There was an average of 6-month delay between the initial symptoms and the diagnosis. The majority of upper GI tumours were advanced at the time of presentation.

A total of 12 patients aged less than 30 had upper GI malignancies. Out of which three patients had esophageal carcinoma, four had gastric carcinoma and five were diagnosed to have lymphoma. Mode of presentation is shown in Table-I. Nine patients had prior gastric surgery. There were very few gastric ulcers. Most of the cases of carcinoma of stomach had fungating, cauliflower or polypoidal growth like macroscopic appearance.

One hundred and forty-five of 302 cases of Upper GI cancer detected during the fourteen-year period were aged less than 55. In two patients, there was a delay in diagnosis of more than six months after first presenting to a health care set up. Both these patients had significant symptoms at presentation. Ninety-eight males and seventy females had carcinoma of stomach and 72 females and 61 males had carcinoma of esophagus. The volume of upper GI endoscopies was fairly adequate. 

DISCUSSION

Oesophageal and gastric malignancies are considered as separate disease entities. It is now generally recognized that cancer of the oesophagus and stomach in 75% of cases is an adenocarcinoma located within 5cm of the gastro-oesophageal junction rather than either purely Oesophageal or purely gastric. The incidence of adenocarcinoma of the esophagus is rising rapidly in Western Europe and North America.3 It can be an aggressive disease and disseminates early.

Carcinoma of the stomach is an important cause of mortality from cancer. Gastric cancer is the second most deadly malignant neoplasm all over the world. Approximately 876,000 persons are diagnosed with this disease every year and approximately 649,000 succumb to it.

In the UK alone, gastric cancer is the fourth most common tumor that accounts for nearly 10000 deaths each year. Until 1985, gastric cancer was the most common cancer globally with an annual incidence of nearly 700,000 cases. This has fallen over the recent years. Carcinoma of the stomach is also common in the southern region of India.4 A very high prevalence of gastric carcinoma was observed in Mizoram in one of the studies from India.5 The mean age in our patients was 58 years and 14% of the patients were younger than 40 years.

Men are twice as likely to get stomach cancer as women. This is borne out by our study as 67% of our patients with carcinoma stomach were males and 15% were younger than 40 years. The most vulnerable group is considered to be men over 50 years. The incidence increases incrementally after age 40 and peaks in the seventh decade.

Gastric cancer can occur in any part of the stomach. The location of the primary tumor has a bearing on the prognosis. Approximately 37 percent of gastric carcinomas in the United States originate in the upper third of the stomach, whereas 20 percent originate in the middle third, and 30 percent in the lower third; 12 percent of gastric carcinomas involve the entire stomach. The distal tumors have a five- year survival rate of approximately 20 to 25 percent after resection. It is 10 percent for patients with proximal tumors, and less than 5 percent for those whose entire stomach is involved. The reduced survival of patients with proximal tumors is reflective of a more aggressive and diffuse histologic disease.

Reviewing the site-specific distribution, the most frequently reported site in the present study was the gastric antrum 30.3% followed by the central esophagus. In another study, intestinal type of adenocarcinoma was the commonest (55.9%) and the distal third was the most common localization (88.4%).6 Cancers of oesophagus and stomach are also quite common in Indian administered Kashmir. A significant increase in the proportion of patients with cardia carcinoma was also noted in the period 1984 to 1993, rising from 14 percent between 1984 -1988 to 24 percent between 1988 -1993 in Indian administered Kashmir as reported in an earlier study from Kashmir region.7 The figure in our study was 14.9%.

The incidence of gastric cancer is highest in China, South America and Eastern Europe. Japan has a high incidence of gastric cancer and 90% are located distal to the cardia. The gastric carcinoma is the most frequent cancer being responsible for 20 to 30 percent of all cancers. The occurrence of carcinoma of the stomach had a percentage rate of 2.7 young adult Japanese patients with a male to female ratio of 1.0:0.88 in another study.

In industrialized countries, the incidence of gastric cancer has declined progressively since past many decades. In 1930 gastric carcinoma was the foremost cause of cancer-related deaths among American males and the third most common cause among women. Over the next fifty years, the rate of gastric carcinoma in the United States dropped from 33 to 10 cases per 100,000 men and from 30 to 5 per 100,000 women in the United States. African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Native Americans are 1.5 to 2.5 times more likely to have gastric carcinoma compared to white population. 

The incidence of cancer at different anatomical sub sites of the stomach in the Western countries in particular United States is undergoing a marked change. A consistent upsurge has been witnessed in the incidence of adenocarcinoma of the most proximal gastric cardia region and the adjacent gastro-oesophageal junction, whereas the incidence of more distal stomach cancer has remained largely unchanged or has gone down marginally over the last 50 years.8’9

Similar incidence trends in proximal gastric cancers have been reported from Europe.10 These findings suggest a common pathogenesis for cancers in this location. This   is   likely to be different from that of distal gastric tumours. In our study the proximal gastric cancer comprised 20% of cases.

Northwestern region of Iran reportedly has a very high incidence of upper gastrointestinal cancer especially cancer of cardia region. The vast majority stem from the right side of the cardia.11

In another study from Indian administered Kashmir, the inhabitants of southern region had higher incidence of esophageal and gastric cancer than northern Kashmir.12 This study also reported a very high incidence of gastric cancer, which was comparable to the current study. Unusual dietary and personal habits were incriminated in its causation. These statistics were higher than most other regions across India. The epidemiological features of esophageal cancer in Kashmir were similar to that found in the Asian esophageal cancer belt. Moreover, this study also reported different incidence rates for different racial groups.

The effects of socio-economic/occupational factors on gastric cancer at various sub sites are not well established and were investigated in a study on the economically active Swedish population.13 Manual workers and farmers had an increased risk of stomach cancer. Most of our patients indulged in farming activities. The dietary habits of our patients did not differ much from the general population. Somehow they may get exposed to carcinogens in the fields. It could perhaps be an unrecognized radioactive substance of some sort. This needs to be investigated. Otherwise poor socioeconomic class can be considered a risk factor. 

Carcinoma of esophagus is a distressing problem with a dismal outcome. It is quite common in this part of the world. In an earlier study from Pakistan, it constituted 25% of the total cardiothoracic operative case load.14 In another study from Balochistan region of Pakistan, carcinoma of esophagus was the third most common tumor and comprised 11.3% of the total registered cases.15 Esophageal malignancies are commonly reported in the sixth, seventh and eighth decades of life and are relatively rare at a younger age because they require a long period of carcinogenesis. This may account for its rarity in child hood. One patient in the present study who was 18 years old presented with dyspahagia and the subsequent histologic evaluation showed adenocarcinoma of esophagus.

The prevalence of carcinoma of esophagus is unprecedentedly high in the countries bordering esophageal cancer belt. But it varies substantially depending upon the geographic location. High incidence areas have been identified in the Caspian Littoral region of northern Iran, southern republics of the former Soviet Union and northern China. The incidence surpasses 100 per 100,000 individuals. Over 20% of all cause mortality has been attributed to esophageal cancer. Northern part of Pakistan closely borders these regions. The incidence of esophageal cancer ranges from 10 to 50 in Sri Lanka, India, South Africa, France and Switzerland.

The significance of tumor cell type on survival after esophageal resection for carcinoma is not well documented. In one study, squamous cell type gave a significant survival advantage in the longer term.16 In the aforesaid study, squamous cell carcinoma made up 90% of cases while adenocarcinoma only 7% of cases. Out of 832 diagnosed cases, 60% involved the lower third of esophagus. Squamous cell carcinoma was noted in 81% of the cases while adenocarcinoma was the second most common in another preceding study from Aga Khan University Hospital, Pakistan.17

Over 75% of esophageal carcinomas among Asians/Pacific Islanders were squamous cell carcinoma in an earlier study.18 Adenocarcinoma made up less than 20%. The rate of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma was 81% higher among Asian/Pacific Islander males than white males, but it was 64% less than black males. The incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma was significantly lower among Asians/Pacific Islanders than among both white and black males and females.

The majority of gastric carcinomas were noncardia adenocarcinoma.18 The rate of cardia adenocarcinoma was 23% lower among API males compared with white males, but it was 26% higher compared with black males. In contrast, the rate of noncardia adenocarcinoma among Asians/Pacific Islander were approximately 3.7 times the rate among whites for both males and females and 33% higher than the rate for blacks. The race probably has an important bearing on the incidence of Ca stomach. Asian race is perhaps equally prone to Ca stomach like their counterparts in the west irrespective of their dietary habits.

CONCLUSION

Targeted screening strategies using endoscopic examination can detect gastric cancer at an early stage and can produce good therapeutic outcome. In the absence of screening, patients present with advanced disease and prognosis is unfavorable. Screening of stomach cancer in moderate to high-risk population subgroups might prove cost-effective. Targeted screening strategies for stomach cancer should be explored.

In the current study, cancer located in the distal part of the stomach formed the major component of gastric cancer (43%) but the incidence of adenocarcinoma of cardia region and adjacent gastro esophageal junction is catching up despite varying dietary habits. The mean age for gastric cancer was 52 in males and 49 in females. Open access endoscopy can enhance the detection of disease in earlier stage. Most of the patients came from Rawalpindi district. Gastric cancer without alarming features is relatively rare below the age of 55.

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