Incidence, Survival and Prevalence of Esophageal and Gastric Cancer in Linzhou City from 2003 to 2009

This study describes recent trends in incidence, survival and prevalence of subgroups of esophageal and gastriccancer in Linzhou city between 2003 and 2009. Data of esophageal and gastric cancer for the period of interestwere extracted from the Linzhou Cancer Registry. Using information on tumor morphology or anatomical site,data were divided into six groups; esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, esophageal adenocarcinoma, otherand unspecified types of esophageal cancer, and cardia, non-cardia, and unspecified anatomical site of stomachcancer. Incidence, survival and prevalence rates for each of the six cancer groups were calculated. The majorityof esophageal cancers were squamous cell carcinomas (82%). Cardiac cancer was the major gastric cancer group(64%). The incidence of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and gastric cardiac cancer increased between 2003and 2009. Both esophageal and gastric cancer had a higher incidence in males compared with females. Overallsurvival was poor in all sub-groups with 1 year survival ranging from 45.9 to 65.6% and 5 year survival rangingfrom 14.7 to 30.5%. Prevalence of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and gastric cardiac cancer was high(accounting for 80% overall). An increased focus on prevention and early diagnosis, especially in esophagealsquamous cell carcinoma and gastric cardiac cancer, is required.