title: Primary Tumor Resection and Survival in Patients with Stage IV Gastric Cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine whether surgical resection of the primary tumor contributes to survival in patients with metastatic gastric cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 288 patients with metastatic gastric cancer from the Akdeniz University, Antalya Training and Research Hospital, and the Meram University of Konya database were retrospectively analyzed. The effect of primary tumor resection on survival of patients with metastatic gastric cancer was investigated using the log-rank test. Kaplan-Meier survival estimates were calculated. Multivariate analysis was performed using Cox proportional hazards regression modeling.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median overall survival was 12.0 months (95% confidence intewrval [CI], 10.4~13.6 months) and 7.8 months (95% CI, 5.5~10.0 months) for patients with and without primary tumor resection, respectively (P<0.001). The median progression-free survival was 8.3 months (95% CI, 7.1~9.5 months) and 6.2 months (95% CI, 5.8~6.7 months) for patients with and without primary tumor resection, respectively (P=0.002).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Non-curative gastrectomy in patients with metastatic gastric cancer might increase their survival rate regardless of the occurrence of life-threatening tumor-related complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Fatma Yalçin
authors.initials: FY
authors.lastname: Müsri
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hasan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mutlu
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Meram University, Konya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karaağaç
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Melek Karakurt
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Eryilmaz
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Antalya Training and Research Hospital, Antalya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Şeyda
authors.initials: Ş
authors.lastname: Gündüz
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Meram University, Konya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Artaç
keywords: Mortality; Stomach neoplasms; Surgery