Survival after surgical treatment of early gastric cancer: surgical techniques and long-term survival.
OBJECTIVE
Recent results from long-term follow-up of a large number of patients who have undergone gastric resection for early gastric cancer (EGC) have not yet been fully evaluated.


METHODS
A total of 848 patients who had undergone gastric resection for EGC (262 female, 586 male; mean age 58.0 years; range 20-86 years) were studied with respect to surgical technique, long-term survival and prognostic factors on the basis of current TNM classification.


RESULTS
Death related to recurrence occurred in only eight patients (0.9%). Hematogenous metastasis to the liver or bone represented the most common pattern of recurrence, developing in six of the eight recurrences (75%). The 5-year and 10-year cancer-related survival rates were 98.6% and 94.8%, respectively. The 5-year and 10-year overall survival rates were 95.2% and 85.0%, respectively. Lymph node metastasis represented an independent prognostic factor when analyzed on the basis of cancer-related survival.


CONCLUSIONS
The present findings indicate that long-term survival of patients who undergo gastric resection for EGC is extremely good and that lymph node metastasis represents an independent prognostic factor when analyzed according to cancer-related survival. Future developments for the treatment of EGC are expected to improve quality of life for patients after gastric resection.
Kikuchi
Shiro
S
Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Kitasato University, 1-15-1 Kitasato, Sagamihara-shi, 228 Kanagawa, Japan. kiku@kitasato-u.ac.jp
Katada
Natsuya
N
Sakuramoto
Shinichi
S
Kobayashi
Nobuyuki
N
Shimao
Hitoshi
H
Watanabe
Masahiko
M
Hiki
Yoshiki
Y
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005743:Gastrectomy / Q000379:methods* / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D011788:Quality of Life; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016019:Survival Analysis