Analysis of the management of synchronous gastric cancer with advanced colorectal cancer

Aim: The aim was to analyze the current management of synchronous gastric cancer with advanced colorectal cancer.
Methods: This retrospective study included patients who had undergone surgery for advanced colorectal cancer and had been diagnosed as gastric cancer histologically in 6 months before colorectal surgery between 2012 and 2021 at our hospital. Patients were divided into intervention group (I-group) in which patients had been treated for gastric cancer and non-intervention group (N-group). Patient characteristics, treatment outcome and prognosis were compared.
Results: Twenty-five patients in I-group and 10 patients in N-group were eligible. There were no significant differences in terms of age, sex ratio, performance status, colorectal cancer stage and the curability of surgery. In term of comorbidity, heart disease was lower in I-group than in N-group (4 % vs 40 %, p = 0.02). During a median follow-up period of 935 days, 11 patients died of colorectal cancer and one patient from I-group died of unknown cause. Five-year overall survival rate was higher in I-group than in N-group (73 % vs 0 %, p = 0.0003). Notably, one case of gastric cancer for which endoscopic treatment had been planned was treated with surgery because of the progression of the lesion during chemotherapy for the colorectal cancer.
Conclusion: Intervention for synchronous gastric cancer can be considered acceptable for patients with expected long-term survival.