Ethnic variation in toxicity and outcome of adjuvant chemoradiation for gastric cancer in Israel.
BACKGROUND
Data on differences in toxicity and efficacy of chemotherapy and radiotherapy among different ethnic groups is limited. We evaluated differences in toxicity, tolerability and clinical outcome of Ashkenazi and non-Ashkenazi Jews receiving postoperative chemoradiation for locally advanced gastric cancer (LAGC).


METHODS
Between 6/2000-12/2007, 84 Ashkenazi patients and 60 non-Ashkenazi patients underwent chemoradiation following resection of LAGC (INT-116 trial).


RESULTS
Patients' and tumor characteristics were comparable. Ashkenazi patients experienced significantly higher rates of fatigue, anorexia, and grade 3-4 dysphagia, as well as a trend for a higher rate of diarrhea. The incidence of other toxicities, dose adjustments of chemotherapy and radiotherapy and patient prognosis did not differ.


CONCLUSIONS
This study shows higher rates of various toxicities among Ashkenazi patients receiving postoperative chemoradiation for LAGC compared to non-Ashkenazi patients. To our knowledge, this is the first study comparing treatment toxicity, tolerability and outcome between these two groups.
Moshe Sharet 7b, Tel Aviv, Israel. ronen.brenner@gmail.com.
Ronen M
RM
Brenner
Shaye
S
Kivity
Yulia
Y
Kundel
Ofer
O
Purim
Nir
N
Peled
Efraim
E
Idelevich
Konstantin
K
Lavrenkov
Svetlana
S
Kovel
Eyal
E
Fenig
Aaron
A
Sulkes
Baruch
B
Brenner
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000628:therapy; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D059186:Chemoradiotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000401:mortality; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality*; D006402:Hematologic Diseases / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality*; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000628:therapy; D015996:Survival Rate; D055815:Young Adult
Ashkenazi; Gastric cancer; Israel; chemoradiation; ethnicity