Predictive factors of lymph node metastasis in patients with undifferentiated early gastric cancers.
BACKGROUND
For intramucosal differentiated early gastric cancer that has little risk of lymph node metastasis, local treatment such as endoscopic mucosal resection has been generally accepted as an adequate treatment. We studied clinicopathological characteristics of undifferentiated early gastric cancer at our institution to identify the predictive factors for lymph node metastasis and qualify lesions that should be referred for gastrectomy and not endoscopic mucosal resection.


METHODS
We retrospectively analyzed the clinicopathological features (patient age and gender, tumor size, location, macroscopic type and histological type, presence of ulceration, depth of tumor invasion, and lymphatic-vascular involvement) in 332 patients with undifferentiated early gastric cancer who underwent gastrectomy with regional lymph node dissection.


RESULTS
Lymph node metastasis was observed in 45 patients (14%). Univariate analysis revealed that depth of tumor invasion (submucosa), tumor size (>30 mm), and lymphatic-vascular involvement (positive) were associated with lymph node metastasis. Only lymphatic-vascular involvement (positive) was found to have a significant association (odds ratio, 7.4; 95% confidence interval, 2.9-19.0) by multivariate analysis.


CONCLUSIONS
Lymphatic-vascular involvement was the only independent predictive risk factor for lymph node metastasis. This pathologic factor was not useful for identifying patients at high risk of lymph node metastasis who should be offered gastrectomy rather than endoscopic mucosal resection.
Nasu
Junichirou
J
Department of Internal Medicine, National Hospital Organization Shikoku Cancer Center, Matsuyama, Japan. jnasu@shikoku-cc.go.jp
Nishina
Tomohiro
T
Hirasaki
Shoji
S
Moriwaki
Toshikazu
T
Hyodo
Ichinosuke
I
Kurita
Akira
A
Nishimura
Rieko
R
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D005743:Gastrectomy; D005773:Gastroscopy; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome