Pathological predictors of lymph node involvement in submucosal gastric carcinoma: a retrospective analysis of long-term outcome.
BACKGROUND
The incidence of nodal metastasis in early gastric cancer (EGC) ranges from 5.7 to 13% . Since most patients with EGC do not have lymph node metastasis, the validity of extended nodal dissection has been questioned.


METHODS
Clinicopathological data of 116 patients with EGC, all undergoing D2 lymphadenectomy, were analysed. Patients with or without lymph node metastases were compared in relation to age and gender distribution, tumour histopathology and 10-year prognosis.


RESULTS
The overall rate of nodal metastasis was 9.5%. The invasion of submucosa, Laurén's diffuse type, a diameter greater than 3 cm, and Pen-A and Pen-B growth patterns were significantly associated with an increased incidence of lymph node metastasis. On multivariate analysis, the diffuse type was an independent risk factor for lymph node involvement, regardless of tumour size and growth pattern (p=0.007). Ten-year survival analysis showed no significant correlation with lymph node metastasis (86.5% vs. 71.6%).


CONCLUSIONS
Submucosal carcinomas of intestinal type, under 2 cm in size, are eligible for minimally invasive surgery while, in diffuse-type carcinomas over 2 cm, standard surgery with D2 lymphadenectomy is recommended.
Department of Human Pathology and Oncology, University of Florence, Viale GB Morgagni 85, 50134 Florence, Italy. gabriella.nesi@unifi.it
Gabriella
G
Nesi
Giancarlo
G
Basili
Lucia Roberta
LR
Girardi
Andrea
A
Manetti
Giancarlo
G
Biliotti
Alessandro
A
Barchielli
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008495:Medical Oncology / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome