OBJECTIVETo investigate the prognostic factors of lymph node-negative advanced gastric cancer patients in order to guide adjunctive therapy and surveillance tragedy.

METHODSA total of 236 advanced gastric cancer patients with no less than 12 retrieved lymph nodes and without lymph node metastasis from Fujian Provincial Hospital between 1998 and 2008 were collected retrospectively. Univariate and multivariate prognostic analysis were performed.

RESULTSTwo hundred and twenty-four patients(94.9%) were followed up and 5-year overall and disease-free survival rates were 75.2% and 66.4% respectively. Univariate prognostic analysis showed that depth of infiltration, Lauren histotype and retrieved lymph nodes were associated with 5-year overall survival(all P<0.05). Multivariate prognostic analysis testified that depth of infiltration was independent prognostic predictor(P<0.05). Recurrent rates of T2 and T3 patients were 5.8%(8/138) and 14.0%(12/86),5-year overall survival rates were 82.5% and 59.0%, 5-year disease-free survival rates were 70.4% and 52.2% respectively. These differences were all statistically significant (all P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONST2N0 gastric cancer patients have a better prognosis than T3N0 patients. Depth of infiltration should be considered to stratify lymph node-negative gastric cancer patients for an adjunctive treatment and follow-up scheduling.