[Carcinoma in the gastric stump--a study of autopsy material]

The general autopsy material of the Institute of Pathology of the Medical Academy in Magdeburg for the years 1977 to 1981 was reviewed and cases of stomach cancer, stomach cancer in resected stomachs and individuals with prior stomach operations were identified. In a total of 16,474 autopsy reports there were 354 with prior stomach resections of whom 39 had a carcinoma in the previously operated stomach, a frequency of 11.3%. The proportion of stomach cancers in the total autopsy series was 4.3%. Ulcus ventriculi was the most frequent reason for the stomach surgery which had been performed an average of 27 years before. In 87% a 2/3 resection according to Billroth II had been employed. Cancer of the stomach, in persons previously operated on for benign gastric disease may be regarded as a late complication of surgery. The implications of this finding are discussed.