Trends in mortality and treatment associated with stomach cancer in Brazil

Keywords

neoplasia - epidemiology - stomach cancer

Introduction: In Brazil, gastric cancer represents a serious public health problem due to its high incidence and mortality. Despite advances in diagnosis and treatment options, such as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, the survival rate remains low. The effectiveness of treatments varies among populations and stages of the disease, highlighting the need for more effective and personalized strategies to improve clinical outcomes.

Objective: Investigate the relationship between treatment modalities and mortality associated with malignant stomach neoplasia over a 10-year period.

Method: This is a quantitative and descriptive cross-sectional study that evaluates mortality and treatment of gastric cancer in Brazil. Data were collected from TABNET, with access to DATASUS, from January 2014 to July 2024, analyzing the variables “Type of Treatment,” “Disease Staging,” and “Deaths.” RESULTS: In the period analyzed, 302,402 cases of stomach cancer were recorded in Brazil. Of these, 131,409 (43.4%) patients received treatment; 16,549 (12.5%) underwent surgery; 51,900 (39.4%) chemotherapy; 4,679 (3.5%) radiotherapy; 144 (0.10%) received a combination of treatments; and in 58,137 (44.2%) cases, the type of treatment was not informed. During this period, 45,522 deaths associated with stomach cancer were recorded. Of the patients who initiated treatment, 1,851 (1.4%) were in stage 0; 1,908 (1.45%) in stage 1; 7,645 (5.81%) in stage 2; 20,672 (15.73%) in stage 3; and 24,647 (18.75%) in stage 4. Additionally, 16,549 (12.59%) patients did not fit the typical staging, and 58,137 (44.24%) cases had no information. In 2019, the number of deaths from stomach cancer reached 4,869 (10.69%), representing the highest annual total recorded in the period analyzed; in the same year, 2,357 surgeries were performed, also constituting the highest number compared to the other years analyzed.

Conclusion: The results of the study on stomach cancer in Brazil highlight critical challenges in diagnosis and treatment, mainly due to high mortality in advanced stages. There is a discrepancy between the increase in surgeries and the persistent rise in mortality, indicating the need to improve early diagnosis and treatment. Thus, it is crucial to optimize public health strategies and the registration and follow-up system to address these challenges more effectively.

Corresponding author: Marilya Oliveira Ellery (e-mail: [e-mail]).