title: Simple pathological examination technique for detection of cancer located at the surgical margin of the stomach.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The technique for examining surgical resection margins described in the Japanese Classification of Gastric Carcinoma is based on the examination of continuous infiltration by the primary tumor, and discontinuous lesions such as multiple cancers are not examined. However, examining lesions-particularly cancers-at the resection margins is important for the prevention of cancers in the remaining stomach that result from cancer remnants (remnant gastric cancer).
  
  
  METHODS
  The clinical usefulness of a simple pathological examination technique for detecting cancer located at the surgical margin of the stomach was studied. A specimen 5-8 mm wide was resected from the surgical cut margin along the entire circumference of the stomach. When the pathological margin was positive for cancer, the surgical margin was also examined, and cases that were positive for cancer were regarded as marginally positive.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 1,498 patients with early gastric cancer who were examined using this method, 17 (1.1 %) were marginally positive for multiple cancers, and 8 of these 17 patients (57 %) had microcancers <5 mm in diameter.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This method is simple and useful for detecting cancer involving the surgical margin, which occurs at a rate of 1.1 %, making it possible to prevent remnant gastric cancer by reoperation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Pathology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajiicho, Kamigyou-ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan, tarojibe@koto.kpu-m.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Kotaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okuda
authors.forename: Sho
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ishihara
authors.forename: Yasuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fujita
authors.forename: Noriko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Mitsuo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kishimoto
authors.forename: Eiichi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Konishi
authors.forename: Yo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Akio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yanagisawa
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D002288:Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D018279:Carcinoma, Signet Ring Cell / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005743:Gastrectomy; D018530:Gastric Stump / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery