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 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.