Cancer Management and Research (Oct 2021)
Concurrence of Gastric Cancer and Incidental Pulmonary Embolism May Be a Prognostic Factor for Advanced Gastric Cancer Patients with Incidental Pulmonary Embolism
Abstract
Meiqing Qiu,1– 3 Ying Meng,3 Huijun Wang,3 Li Sun,3 Zhen Liu,3 Shifeng Kan,2 Tao Wang,2 Shu Zhang3 1Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Oncology, Zaozhuang Municipal Hospital, Zaozhuang, 277100, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Gastroenterology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Shu ZhangDepartment of Gastroenterology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, People’s Republic of ChinaTel/ Fax +86-531-67626836Email [email protected]: Cancer is well known as the most important risk factor for the emergence of pulmonary embolism (PE). The incidence of incidental PE (IPE) has increased with widely use of multi-detector-row computed tomography (CT) technology. Simultaneously, more new cancer patients diagnosed concomitantly with IPE are found. No study has examined the presentation and prognosis of incidental pulmonary embolism (IPE) in gastric cancer patients. The aim of this study was to analyse prognostic factors in patients with advanced gastric cancer complicated with IPE.Patients and Methods: Ninety patients with histologically confirmed advanced gastric adenocarcinoma diagnosed with IPE were enrolled. Continuous variables were compared using Student’s t-test or the Mann–Whitney U-test if non-normally distributed. The Chi-squared test (or Fisher’s exact test where appropriate) was used to compare categorical variables. The Kaplan–Meier method and the Log rank test were used for survival analysis. Independent prognostic factors for survival were determined using a Cox proportional hazards model. A two-sided P-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results: Nineteen patients were diagnosed with IPE concomitantly with gastric cancer. Concurrence of gastric cancer and IPE, lack of anticoagulation therapy, and location of IPE were associated with survival. After adjusting for age and sex, the concurrence of gastric cancer and IPE, lack of anticoagulation, and central IPE independently influenced the survival of advanced gastric cancer patients with IPE. Subgroup analysis of patients with peripheral pulmonary embolisms confirmed that anticoagulant therapy provided a survival benefit.Conclusion: Concurrence of gastric cancer and IPE may be a prognostic factor for advanced gastric cancer patients with IPE.Keywords: incidental pulmonary embolism, gastric cancer, anticoagulation therapy
