Gastric Adenocarcinoma Treatment in Africa: Surgery Alone or Perioperative Chemotherapy?

Abstract

Aim: Evaluate the impact of MAGIC trial on gastric adenocarcinoma's management in Africa. Method and methodology: It was about a review of literature on therapeutic aspects of gastric adenocarcinoma in the African area. We have taken a census of 21 articles including 2792 patients published between 1980 and 2013. We have distinguished articles published before 2006 (group 1) from those published after 2006 (group 2) to better understand therapeutic changes after that perioperative chemotherapy has become a standard in gastric adenocarcinoma's management. Results: Surgery remains in Africa the first and practically the only treatment weapon in gastric adenocarcinoma: 46% to 92% people in the 1st group and 65% to 100% people in the 2nd group underwent surgical procedures. Perioperative chemotherapy takes longer to be part of therapeutic habits (0.18%). Factors related to patients such alteration of general state with a WHO performance status superior to 2 in 72% of cases, the lack of financial accessibility to anticancerous drugs explains partly the non-use of perioperative chemotherapy. This is also due to factors peculiar to our sanitation structures which don't have enough cancer specialists. So we noticed that MAGIC trial is simply ignored in certain studies. The lack of adoption of perioperative chemotherapy explains with delayed diagnosis the low survival of patients in the African area. Conclusion: MAGIC trial practically has no effect on therapeutic behavior yet comparatively to gastric adenocarcinoma in Africa. The insurance particularly relies on surgery only until now. However, it might enable us to improve gastric adenocarcinoma's survival rates.