OBJECTIVETo study the clinicopathological features and prognosis of multifocal gastric cancer.

METHODSClinicopathological data of 30 cases with multifocal gastric cancer from January 2003 to March 2014 in our department were retrospectively analyzed. Random selection of 100 cases of single focal gastric cancer patients admitted in the same period was used as control group. Clinicopathological features and prognosis were compared between two groups.

RESULTSSix(20.0%) multifocal gastric cancer patients had 3 or more focuses with different differentiation degrees at the same time. The age of multifocal gastric cancer patients was younger than that of single focal gastric cancer [(56.8±16.4) year vs. (63.3±10.8) year, P<0.05]. The TNM stage of multifocal gastric cancer was mainly stage I((73.3%, 22/30), and the TNM stage of single focal gastric cancer was mainly stage III((64.0%, 64/100). As compared to single focal gastric cancer group, multifocal gastric cancer group had smaller tumors, lower ratio of nerve invasion and lymphatic vascular invasion(all P<0.01). Five-year survival rate was higher in multifocal gastric cancer group as compared to single focal gastric cancer group(76.0% vs. 48.8%, P<0.05). The prognosis of multifocal gastric cancer patients was associated with tumor size, nerve invasion, vascular invasion, depth of tumor invasion, lymphatic metastasis and TNM staging(all P<0.05), which was similar to single focal gastric cancer patients. Differences of 5-year survival rate under various clinicopathological conditions were not significant between two groups(all P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONMultifocal gastric cancer patients have earlier staging tumor and overall advantage as compared to those with single focal gastric cancer.