Re-study of gastric cancer: analysis of outcome

Cancer of the stomach (CaS) is a dreaded disease. Fortunately, there is a decreasing incidence, except in the East. The authors did a re-study of CaS, a widely investigated but unresolved gastrointestinal malignancy. The clinicopathologic features were evaluated to identify and measure the prognostic factors that would help the surgeon decide optimal therapy. Among 383 admitted for CaS at the East Avenue Medical Center, Quezon City, Philippines between January 1987 and December 1996, 149 underwent radical resection with curative intent. (As historical control, the experience in 136 cases was reviewed during the immediately preceding 5-year period [1982-1986] when extended lymphadenectomy was not the standard policy.) For staging, the TNM system (tumor-node-metastasis) was used; to describe anatomy and surgery of stomach lymphatics, the "Japanese Rules," as modified, were adapted. Curative radical gastrectomy would include removal of the diseased stomach and regional lymphatics as defined by frozen section, including subtotal (or total) gastrectomy and "extended" D2 (with no. 12) node dissection. The clinicopathologic factors were statistically analyzed, using the accepted methods: Kaplan-Meier for survival, univariate analysis, and multivariate analysis for independent predictors. Of the 12 risk factors assessed by univariate analysis, the following were identified by multivariate analysis as independent prognosticators of survival: (1) wall penetration; (2) node invasion; (3) TNM stage; (4) resection margin; and (5) tumor size. After curative resection, the operative mortality was 5.3% and the complications, 19.4%. The 5-year survival was 60.4%, and recurrence, 15.4%. The results have shown that the pathology-related factors, (1) wall penetration; (2) node invasion; and (3) resection margin, are independent prognosticators of survival, remarkably affecting outcome. In conclusion, the study supports radical gastrectomy with extended D2 lymphadenectomy for CaS as safe and effective. Survival and recurrence are a function of pathology and adequate resection; operative mortality is defined by the patient's condition.