title: Clinicopathological characteristics and outcome indicators of stage II gastric cancer according to the Japanese classification of gastric cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The characteristics of stage II gastric cancer according to the Japanese Classification of Gastric Cancer (JCGC) were examined and the high-risk factors predicting poor prognosis were detected.
  
  
  METHODS
  In total, 107 patients, who underwent clinically curative gastrectomy with D2 lymphadenectomy for stage II gastric cancer, were included. Survival curves of the depth of invasion, lymph node metastasis, the ratio of involved: resected lymph nodes and chemotherapy treatment were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The survival curves were related to tumor invasion depth and lymph node metastasis. The ratio of involved resected lymph nodes was a good prognostic indicator compared to the classification of regional lymph node metastasis (N classification). Survival rates with adjuvant chemotherapy were slightly higher than without adjuvant chemotherapy, but the difference was not significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  pT2pN1 (stage II) gastric cancers according to the JCGC, especially pSSpN1 cases, included stage IIIB and IV gastric cancers according to the International Union Against Cancer / American Joint Committee on Cancer (UICC/AJCC); therefore, the prognosis of these might be poor. With pSSpN1 cases, according to the JCGC, anticancer chemotherapy equivalent to that required for stage III gastric cancer cases is necessary.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Gunma Prefecture Saiseikai-Maebashi Hospital, 564-1 Kami-shinden, Maebashi, Gunma 371-0821, Japan. hojima@showa.gunma-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ojima
authors.forename: Ken-Ichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Araki
authors.forename: Toshihide
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Kaori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okamura
authors.forename: Ryokuhei
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Manda
authors.forename: Isao
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hirayama
authors.forename: Yasuo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hosouchi
authors.forename: Yasuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nishida
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kuwano
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005743:Gastrectomy; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012307:Risk Factors; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000145:classification* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery