[Carcinoma of the gastric stump. Considerations on 26 observed cases]

The authors report their experience concerning 26 cases of gastric stump carcinoma after gastric resection for benign pathology, observed in about 12 years. The incidence of such disease is 9,2% as regards the gastric neoplastic pathology and 5,2% as regards the benign ulcerous pathology, observed in the same period of time. The removal of the tumour was performed in 18 cases (69,2%), in spite of the stage, in most cases advanced, of the disease. In 7 cases (38,8%) the operation was extended to other organs. In 5 cases (27,7%) the removal was performed in spite of the presence of liver metastases. The survival amounts to 3 (16,6%) patients after 2, 4,5 and 5 years, one of whom suffers from liver metastases. In spite of the better knowledge of the histologic modifications and the phenomena caused by the biliopancreatic rebux and gastric hypochlorhydria, the etiopathogenesis of that disease is still unknown; the prognosis remains still unfavourable, due to the diagnostical delay and the particular aggressiveness of the neoplasm. Therefore, the Authors confirm the necessity for a precocious diagnosis, which only is suitable to improve the immediate and remote results.