Gastric cancer in Abidjan: care strategies and survival in a resource-limited setting

Background In Côte d’Ivoire, the management of gastric cancer relies mainly on chemotherapy and surgery. However, the actual impact of these treatments on patient survival remains poorly documented. Objective To evaluate management strategies and clinical outcomes of patients with gastric cancer in Abidjan. Methods A 5-year retrospective cohort study was conducted across five hospitals in Abidjan. All patients followed for gastric cancer were included. Clinical, therapeutic, and outcome data were analyzed using SPSS, with a significance threshold set at p < 0.05. Results Seventy-seven patients were included (mean age: 56.9 years; male-to-female ratio: 2.8). Consultation was often delayed (>3 months after symptom onset). Metastatic disease accounted for 60.7% of cases. Adenocarcinoma was the predominant histological type (98.7%). A multidisciplinary tumor board (MTB) was held in only 37.7% of cases. Initial treatment was surgical (49.4%), palliative/supportive (26%), or chemotherapy-based (23.4%). Median survival was 15 months. Disease stage at diagnosis and consultation delay significantly influenced survival. Conclusion Gastric cancer is managed in Abidjan, but major gaps remain, particularly the lack of systematic MTB discussion and late diagnosis. Broader access to innovative therapies and the implementation of early detection strategies are urgently needed to improve outcomes.