OBJECTIVETo evaluate the value of negative lymph node count (NLNC) in prediction of prognosis of advanced gastric cancer after radical resection.

METHODSThe 544 cases of radical gastrectomy patients with complete clinical and follow-up data between January 2011 and July 2007 were collected. Survival was determined by the Kaplan-Merier method and univariate analysis was done by Log-rank test, Multivariate analysis was performed using the Cox proportional hazard regression model.

RESULTSUnivariate analysis showed age (χ(2) = 4.449), T stage (χ(2) = 30.482), N stage (χ(2) = 205.452), location of tumor (χ(2) = 16.649), tumor size (χ(2) = 35.117), macroscopic type (χ(2) = 4.750), histological grade (χ(2) = 6.130), NLNC stage (χ(2) = 150.369) and type of gastrectomy (χ(2) = 25.605) were related to survival. Among them, T stage, N stage, tumor size and NLNC stage were independent risk factors for survival (P < 0.05). The prognostic factors of patients were performed subgroup analysis, NLNC > 15 group can prolong the survival than NLNC ≤ 15 group in the T2 stage (HR = 0.315), T4 stage (HR = 0.401), the same classification of location of tumor (HR = 0.286-0.493), tumor size (HR = 0.336, 0.465), macroscopic type (HR = 0.306, 0.418), histological grade (HR = 0.411, 0.365) and type of gastrectomy (HR = 0.444, 0.358 and 0.356, all P < 0.05). More NLNC can prolong Disease-Free Survival for patient of early recurrence (χ(2) = 8.648, P = 0.003).

CONCLUSIONSSufficient negative lymph node count can prolong the survival and decrease the risk of early recurrence.