title: Comparison of advanced adenocarcinomas of esophagogastric junction and distal stomach in Japanese patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There have been no reports on the incidence, characteristics, treatment outcomes, and prognosis of inoperably advanced or recurrent adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction (AEGJ) in Japan.
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated the clinicopathological characteristics, treatment outcomes, and prognosis for 816 patients with esophagogastric junctional and gastric adenocarcinoma who received first-line chemotherapy between 2004 and 2009.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 816 patients, 82 (10 %) had AEGJ. The patients with AEGJ had significantly more lung and lymph node metastasis, but less peritoneal metastasis, than those with gastric adenocarcinoma (GAC). The objective response rate to first-line chemotherapy was 23.3 % for patients with AEGJ and 22.6 % in patients with GAC (p = 0.90). The median survival was 13.0 months in AEGJ and 11.8 months in GAC (p = 0.445). In no patient was tumor site a significant prognostic factor (p = 0.472). In patients with AEGJ, ECOG PS ≥ 2, presence of liver metastasis, and absence of lung metastasis were significantly associated with poor prognosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No significant differences were observed in treatment outcomes between advanced AEGJ and GAC. Therefore, the same chemotherapy regimen can be given as a treatment arm in future Japanese clinical trials to both patients with inoperably advanced or recurrent AEGJ and those with GAC.
authors: Gastrointestinal Oncology Division, National Cancer Center Hospital, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuou-ku, Tokyo, 104-0045, Japan, akawano@east.ncc.go.jp.
authors: Akiko
authors: A
authors: Kawano
authors: Takako Eguchi
authors: TE
authors: Nakajima
authors: Ichiro
authors: I
authors: Oda
authors: Nobukazu
authors: N
authors: Hokamura
authors: Satoru
authors: S
authors: Iwasa
authors: Ken
authors: K
authors: Kato
authors: Tetsuya
authors: T
authors: Hamaguchi
authors: Yasuhide
authors: Y
authors: Yamada
authors: Hirofumi
authors: H
authors: Fujii
authors: Yasuhiro
authors: Y
authors: Shimada
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology*; D004943:Esophagogastric Junction / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010534:Peritoneal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary; D011379:Prognosis; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult