[Pattern of solitary lymph node metastasis in gastric cancer and its clinical significance].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the pattern of solitary lymph node metastasis in order to offer more suitable treatment for patients with gastric cancer.


METHODS
Sixty-five patients received operation between July 1999 and June 2004 with only 1 metastatic lymph node identified by postoperative pathological examination were included in the study. Data were analyzed using the statistical software SPSS 13.0.


RESULTS
Univariable analysis showed that only the tumor diameter differed significantly between patients with skipping metastatic (SM) lymph node and those without SM (chi(2)=4.447, P=0.035). No clinicopathological factors showed statistically differences between patients with lymph node transverse metastasis (TM) and those without TM. However, both of two comparative groups showed statistically differences in long-term survival (P=0.000, P=0.000).


CONCLUSIONS
Most lymph node metastasis in gastric cancer follows the rule of "near-to-far", but some special metastasis patterns (SM, TM) are not rare. Proper lymph node dissection especially for patients with high risk should be performed to reduce tumor recurrence and improve long-time survival.
Han
Tao
T
Department of Gastrointestinal Surgical Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Key Lab of Tianjin Cancer Prevention and Management, Tianjin 300060, China.
Liang
Han
H
Wang
Xiao-na
XN
Zhang
Ru-peng
RP
Ding
Xue-wei
XW
Liu
Xiang-yu
XY
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*