title: Clinicopathologic characteristics and prognosis of synchronous multifocal gastric carcinomas.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We sought to define differences between multifocal and solitary gastric carcinoma to decrease the risk of missing a cancer while resecting another more evident carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively examined clinicopathologic characteristics of multifocal gastric carcinoma including anatomic distribution and postoperative survival.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Multifocal gastric carcinoma was seen more frequently when patients were older and when the largest tumor was small and at an early stage. More than half of accessory lesions were located near the main tumor. No significant difference in postoperative survival was seen between patients with multifocal and solitary carcinoma, whether early or advanced.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The entire stomach should be examined carefully before and during resection, especially when local or endoscopic surgery is performed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kawaramachi Hirokoji Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan. otsuji@koto.kpu-m.ac.jp
authors.forename: Eigo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Otsuji
authors.forename: Yoshiaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kuriu
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ichikawa
authors.forename: Kazuma
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okamoto
authors.forename: Akeo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hagiwara
authors.forename: Hisakazu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamagishi
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005743:Gastrectomy; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009378:Neoplasms, Multiple Primary / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D011379:Prognosis; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D016019:Survival Analysis