[Reoperation of recurrent gastric cancer--a comparative study of a resected and nonresected group]

A retrospective study was made on 51 patients with recurrent gastric cancer following partial or subtotal gastrectomies during the past 17 years. Thirteen patients (25.5%) underwent resection of recurrent lesions, of which 12 were total resection of gastric remnant with combined removal of the distal pancreas, spleen, transverse colon and/or a part of the liver. The operative mortality rate was only 7.6%, and the one-year survival rate was 41.7%. There is a necessity for aggressive surgery in cases proved histologically to be stage I or II after the initial operation. The surgical procedure is not effective for stage III and IV patients, except for cases of local recurrence.