The results of treatment for resectable gastric cancer with microsatellite instability

Background. microsatellite instability (MSI) is a prognostic marker of survival in many malignant diseases and show resistance to chemotherapy at early stages of colorectal cancer and show no benefits from chemotherapy at early stages of colorectal cancer. However, the role of MSI in resectable gastric cancer (GC) remains unknown.

Aim. To study the results of treatment of resectable gastric cancer with microsatellite instability.

Materials and methods. The study included 286 patients with resectable gC who received treatment at the N. N. Blokhin national medical Research Center of Oncology. All patients underwent PCR testing for MSI-H in 5 markers (BAT25, BAT26, NR21, NR24, NR27). Tumor regression grades (TRG) were evaluated according to the mandard tumour regression score, including disease-free survival and overall survival.

Results. MSI indicated in 27 cases (9.44 %) out of 286 resectable gastric cancer. In group patients who received only surgical treatment, 2-year disease-free survival in patients with MSI-H was 77.80 % versus 88.29 % in MSS patients (hazard ratio (HR) 1.82, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.37–8.82, p = 0.45), 2-year overall survival in patients with MSI-H was 88.90 % versus 95.36 % in MSS patients (HR 2.03, 95 % CI 0.20–19.8, p = 0.54). In patients who received perioperative chemotherapy, 28.57 % (4 / 14) had progression in MSI-H tumor versus 3.61 % (6 / 166) in MSS tumor (p <0.001). In group patients who received treatment combined with chemotherapy, 2-year disease-free survival in patients with MSI-H was 59.60 % versus 67.36 % (HR 1.96, CI 95 % 0.88–4.35, p = 0.09), 2-year overall survival in patients with MSI-H was 67.30 % versus 85.86 % in MSS patients (HR 1.86, 95 % CI 0.64–5.41, p = 0.25)

Conclusion. MSI-H is not a favorable prognosis factor in patients with resectable GC who are treated surgically combined with chemotherapy. The prevalence of progression in patients with MSI-H-status is higher than MSS-status with perioperative chemotherapy (FLOT / FOLFIRINOX).

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