| pubmed-article:3726696 | pubmed:abstractText | During 1983, 128 patients with gastric carcinoma presented to Groote Schuur Hospital, 71% of them were from the coloured racial group. The commonest symptoms were dyspepsia or pain (88%), and the average delay in presentation was 3 months. Barium meal, endoscopy, biopsy, and cytology were not completely sensitive in making the diagnosis. Most patients had advanced disease: nearly one-third had disease so advanced that surgery was not considered and a further third had a palliative gastrectomy. Surgery was considered to be curative in 16 cases (12.5%). The overall 24-month survival rate was 19%, which contrasted with a survival of 88% when curative resection was possible. | lld:pubmed |
