Risk of second malignancies after surgical treatment for early gastric cancer

We evaluated the follow-up of 105 patients who received surgical treatment at our Institute for early gastric cancer (EGC). Median follow-up was 71 months. Operative mortality was 5.7% and the 5-year survival rate was 82.8%, approximately that of an age- and sex- matched Italian population. Overall mortality was assessed with regard to mortality from gastric cancer or other causes. Ten second primary malignancies were identified, and the standardized mortality ratio (1.12; 90% confidence interval [CI] 0.77-1.64) and standardized morbidity ratio (1.50; 90% CI 0.89-2.50) were determined using data from the Tumor Registry of Lombardy. To our knowledge, this is the biggest Western series to measure the risk EGC patients face of developing a second primary tumor. In conclusion, oncologists who follow-up patients surgically treated for EGC, a disease that is much less frequent in Western countries than in Eastern ones, should be aware of the possible occurrence of extragastric primary tumors so that they may plan the appropriate diagnostic investigation when necessary.