Challenges surrounding postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy for T2N0 gastric cancer

Determining the requirement for adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with stage IB gastric cancer (GC), and particularly for those with stage T2N0 (muscularis propria) disease, remains challenging. Patients with stage II/III disease benefit from postoperative adjuvant therapy; however, the randomized trials examining whether such therapy affords any survival benefit to patients with T2N0 disease are not sufficient. Current evidence suggests that not all patients with T2N0 disease should undergo such treatment, but only those with a high risk. To date, a number of retrospective studies have attempted to identify factors that are predictive of increased risk in an effort to guide adjuvant therapy-related clinical decision making. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network and the Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology have published guidelines regarding factors associated with increased patient risk. As a result, treatment decisions for patients with stage T2N0 disease are currently determined on an individualized basis, in light of risk factors and the potential benefits of treatment. The present review surveyed current evidence related to the treatment of patients with high-risk GC and highlighted the potential avenues for future investigated.