Histopathology of gastric cancer in Yemen: A seven years retrospective analysis

Abstract

Background: Gastric cancer (GC) is a major contributor to the global burden of cancer morbidity and mortality. It is the fourth most commonly occurring worldwide.
Objective: To describe the general pattern of primary GC in Yemen and compare the findings of patients' age, sex, histological type and degree of differentiation to findings from other Middle Eastern countries and the rest of the world.
Methods: This is a descriptive record-based study of 517 cases of GC in the Department of pathology, Sana'a University, Yemen, for seven years period. The diagnosis was made on hematoxylin and eosin stained sections and categorized the cases of gastric malignancies according to histological type.
Results: Out of 517 cases of GC, 183 (35.4%) were females and 286 (64.6%) were males with 1:1.8 female to male ratio. The commonest type of GC was adenocarcinoma comprising, 462 (89.3%) of which female and male cases were 166 (36%) and 296 (64%) respectively. Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas accounted, for 38 (7.4%). The rest of the cases were nine undifferentiated malignancies, four leiomyosarcoma, two gastrointestinal malignant stromal tumors, one adenosquamous and the last one was carcinoid. Male preponderance was seen in all malignancies. The mean age for adenocarcinoma in females was 55.9 years and 59.5 years in males. Well-differentiated adenocarcinomas accounted for 45.7% followed by moderately-differentiated 22.1%. The poorly differentiated and signet ring cell carcinomas accounted for 16.2% and 9.5% respectively.
Conclusion: The frequency of GC in Yemen revealing similar features in age, sex and hitological types with that reported from high incidence areas.

Key words: Gastric cancer - adenocarcinoma- lymphoma - Yemen.