title: The importance of surgical margins in gastric cancer.
abstract: Interpretation and management of the surgical margin is paramount to the treatment of gastric adenocarcinoma. Although in early-stage disease, a microscopically positive margin may be associated with poor outcomes, in later stages, it does not persist as an independent poor prognostic factor but rather is likely a marker of other adverse pathologic characteristics that ultimately determine outcomes. Thus, the decision to extend a resection to achieve a negative margin should be deliberate and individualized.
authors.affiliation: Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Lauren M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Postlewait
authors.affiliation: Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Shishir K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Maithel
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000601:surgery*; D005743:Gastrectomy / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018365:Neoplasm, Residual / Q000517:prevention & control; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: gastric cancer; margins; recurrence; resection; survival