[Cancer of the gastric stump in gastrectomies for benign diseases]

The authors present 8 cases of cancer in the gastric stump of patients operated for benign pathologies. They reviewed 800 clinical histories of gastric cancers with microscopic confirmation. Incidence is of 1%. They analyzed age, sex, interval of time elapsed since the first operation, diagnosis, treatment and mortality of these patients. They emphasize that diagnosis is difficult and confusing but must be considered in patients with gastrectomies for benign causes done long ago and that present new symptoms or aggravation of the preexisting ones. For this reason these patients must be carefully worked up and studied. The mortality is very high. Treatment is surgical and radical.