The clinicopathological characteristics and genetic alterations of gastric cancer patients according to the Lauren classification

ObjectiveThe Lauren classification is an important histological classification of gastric cancer (GC) with different biological behaviors between histological types.BackgroundTo date, there are few reports on the genetic alterations and survival differences between different histological types according to the Lauren classification.MethodsIn total, 433 GC patients undergoing surgery were enrolled. The clinicopathological features, prognoses, and genetic alterations of the different Lauren types were compared.ResultsDiffuse-type GC was associated with a younger age, female predominance, more Borrmann type 3 and 4 tumors, more advanced pathological tumor (T) and node (N) categories, more tumor recurrences (especially peritoneal recurrence), and worse 5-year overall survival and disease-free survival rates than intestinal-type GC and mixed-type GC. Regarding genetic alterations, mixed-type GC was associated with more TP53 mutations than intestinal-type GC and diffuse-type GC. Multivariate analysis demonstrated the following independent prognostic factors: age, Lauren classification, and pathological T and N categories. Regarding mixed-type GC, diffuse-type major tumors were associated with more lymphovascular invasion, a more advanced N category and TNM stage, and fewer PI3K/AKT pathway mutations than intestinal-type major tumors.ConclusionsDiffuse-type GC had unfavorable clinicopathological features and a worse prognosis than intestinal-type GC. For mixed-type GC, the clinicopathological features and genetic alterations were different between intestinal-type major tumors and diffuse-type major tumors.