Prognostic Significance of the Number of Dissected Perigastric Lymph Nodes in Gastric Cancer

Yoshitaka Furuya, Takashi Ichikura, Hidetaka Mochizuki

First Department of Surgery, National Defence Medical College

The purpose of this study was to determine the prognostic significance of the number of dissected perigastric lymph nodes in gastric cancer. A total of 223 patients with nodal involvement who underwent a curative distal gastrectomy with D2 or D3 lymphadenectomy were included in this study, They were classified into three groups according to the total number of metastatic lymph nodes; 1-2, 3-6, 7 or more. In each group, survival rates were compared between patients with a total number of dissected perigastric nodes (#3, 4d, 5, and 6) of 20 or more and those with 19 or fewer. In patients with a number of metastatic lymph nodes of 1-2 and 7 or more, no significant difference in survival rate was observed between those with 19 or fewer perigastric nodes dissected and those with 20 or more. In patients with 3-6 positive nodes, however, those with 19 or fewer perigastric nodes dissected had a significantly lower survival rate than those with 20 or more. Five-year survival rate were 75% and 92%, respectively (p<0.05). No differences exsisted between the two groups in clinicopathologic background, D-number, or a number of the second level lymph nodes dissected. Perigastric lymph nodes may act as a line of defense to prevent metastases to distant nodes in gastric cncer.

Key words
number of metastatic lymph nodes of gastric cancer, prognostic factor, perigastric lymph nodes

Reprint requests
Yoshitaka Furuya First Department of Surgery, National Defence Medical College
3-2 Namiki, Tokorozawa, 359-8513 JAPAN

Accepted
December 3, 1997

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