Survival analysis of resected gastric cancer in atomic bomb survivors

Among 1,097 stomach cancer patients diagnosed between 1973 and 1986, 938 patients were eligible, consisting of 381 patients exposed to A-bombing and 557 non-exposed patients. Survival was analyzed in terms of the variables, such as patient age, clinical stage, tumor histologic type, surgical method, resection of involved organs, and resectability. For women, there was no significant difference in survival between the exposed and non-exposed groups, although survival tended to be better in the exposed group than the non-exposed group. When adjusted by the variables, survival curves were matched in both the exposed and non-exposed groups of women. For men, multivariate analysis by the proportional hazard model of Cox revealed a significant difference in survival between the exposed and non-exposed groups. This might have implications for the involvement of factors other than surgical methods. (N.K.)