Postoperative recurrence in gastric cancer: analysis of 59 cases.
OBJECTIVE
Gastric cancer (GC) is the leading cause of death in China. Although surgery based comprehensive treatment is the best approach to improve survival, postoperative recurrence is a major problem. This study was aimed to find out the relationship of cancer recurrence with major clinico-pathological factors, with special attention focused on time of recurrence.


METHODS
Data of 59 recurrences after surgery among 286 GC patients were systemically collected and analyzed. Time of recurrence, the relationship between clinical stages and time of recurrence, and between number of adjuvant chemotherapy cycles and time of recurrence were evaluated.


RESULTS
76.3% (45/59) recurrence happened within 1 year after surgery. Median time to recurrence was 7 months. Most recurrences were locoregional recurrence (57.6%). The differences in time of recurrence among stage I, stage II, stage III and stage IV were statistically not significant (p > 0.05, Kruskal-Wallis Test). There were significant differences among different adjuvant chemotherapy cycles for time to recurrence (p = 0.014, Kruskal-Wallis Test).


CONCLUSIONS
Close monitoring and active followup of patients with GC should be conducted over the first 2 years after operation. Adjuvant chemotherapy could prolong recurrence-free survival.
Peng
Chun-Wei
CW
Department of Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Biological Behaviors & Hubei Cancer Clinical Study Center, Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China.
Li
Yan
Y
Yang
Guo-Liang
GL
Xiong
Bin
B
Feng
Mao-Hui
MH
Cheng
Fu-Lin
FL
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D013997:Time Factors