Women, Overweight Survive Longer with Esophageal and Stomach Cancer, Researchers Say
(Demographic and Lifestyle Predictors of Survival in Patients with Esophageal or Gastric Cancers, Trivers et al.)
In the journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill publish findings of a population-based, case-control study of 1,142 patients diagnosed with esophageal or gastric cancer. After seven years of follow up, survival rates for both cancers were low between 12 and 20 percent. However, three factors increased the likelihood of survival:
"Unfortunately, some of the characteristics associated with survival in this study are not easily modifiable, but we hope the findings will give patients more information about the possible course of their cancer," said lead study author Katrina F. Trivers, MSPH. "A better understanding of what can increase survival could help uncover preventive strategies."
While researchers are not currently able to pinpoint the underlying reasons for the study's results, they are certain the results are not attributed to traditional prognostic factors such as tumor stage or grade. In addition, age, education, cigarette smoking, alcohol intake, gastroesophageal ref
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Contact: Kimberly Wise
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American Gastroenterological Association
1-Mar-2005