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Sex Disparity in Gastric Cancer: Female Sex is a Poor Prognostic Factor for Advanced Gastric Cancer

  • Gastrointestinal Oncology
  • Published:
Annals of Surgical Oncology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

An Erratum to this article was published on 05 August 2016

Abstract

Background

The overall incidence of gastric cancer (GC) is higher in males than females. Specifically, signet ring cell carcinoma (SRC) is more frequently observed in younger female patients. However, limited information focused on sex-specific differences in GC has been reported. The aim of our study was to analyze clinicopathological differences between sex groups to reveal sex disparities in GC.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed 4722 patients with GC who underwent gastrectomy (females: 1586 (33.6 %); males: 3136 (66.4 %), and analyzed clinicopathological features between these sex groups. The overall survival (OS) rate was investigated between the two sex groups, with special reference to the pathologic World Health Organization GC classifications. Immunohistochemistry staining of sex hormone receptors, including the estrogen receptor (ER)-α, ER-β, progesterone receptor, and androgen receptor, was performed according to sex and pathological classification.

Results

Female patients were significantly associated with a younger age, poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma, and SRC compared with males. Female patients showed a significantly poorer OS than male patients, especially among those with advanced GC (AGC) aged ≤45 years. In females with AGC, those with SRC had a significantly poorer OS than those with other histologies. Moreover, the expression of ER-β was different between females and males with SRC.

Conclusions

Females with GC were significantly younger and had a different SRC histology compared with males. Furthermore, females had significantly poorer prognostic factors among young patients with SRC. Thus, young female GC patients with SRC are a main target group in which to improve prognosis.

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Acknowledgments

The English in this document has been checked by at least two professional editors, both native speakers of English. For a certificate, please see http://www.textcheck.com/certificate/KktQd3.

Author Contribution

Hae Won Kim made substantial contributions to the conception and design of the study, analysis and interpretation of data, drafting the article, and critically revising it for important intellectual content. Jie-Hyun Kim and Beom Jin Lim made substantial contributions to the conception and design of the study, final approval of the version to be published, and agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work. HyunKi Kim, Hoguen Kim, Jae Jun Park, Young Hoon Youn, Hyojin Park, Sung Hoon Noh, Jong Won Kim, and Seung Ho Choi critically revised the article for important intellectual content.

Funding

This study was supported by the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF), and was funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (2012R1A1A1042417).

Disclosures

Hae Won Kim, HyunKi Kim, Hoguen Kim, Jae Jun Park, Young Hoon Youn, Hyojin Park, Sung Hoon Noh, Jong Won Kim, Seung Ho Choi, Jie-Hyun Kim and Beom Jin Lim have no disclosures to declare.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine, Institute of Gastroenterology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

    Hae Won Kim MD, Jie-Hyun Kim MD, PhD, Jae Jun Park MD, PhD, Young Hoon Youn MD, PhD & Hyojin Park MD, PhD

  2. Department of Pathology, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

    Beom Jin Lim MD, PhD, HyunKi Kim MD, PhD & Hoguen Kim

  3. Department of Surgery, Institute of Gastroenterology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

    Sung Hoon Noh MD, PhD, Jong Won Kim MD, PhD & Seung Ho Choi MD, PhD

  4. Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

    Hae Won Kim MD, Jie-Hyun Kim MD, PhD, Beom Jin Lim MD, PhD, Jae Jun Park MD, PhD, Young Hoon Youn MD, PhD, Hyojin Park MD, PhD, Jong Won Kim MD, PhD & Seung Ho Choi MD, PhD

  5. Department of Internal Medicine, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

    Jie-Hyun Kim MD, PhD

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  1. Hae Won Kim MD
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Jie-Hyun Kim MD, PhD or Beom Jin Lim MD, PhD.

Additional information

An erratum to this article is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1245/s10434-016-5498-3.

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Kim, H.W., Kim, JH., Lim, B.J. et al. Sex Disparity in Gastric Cancer: Female Sex is a Poor Prognostic Factor for Advanced Gastric Cancer. Ann Surg Oncol 23, 4344–4351 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-016-5448-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-016-5448-0

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