OBJECTIVETo explore the association of pathologic factors with the staging of metastatic lymph node ratio (rN) and metastatic lymph node number (pN), and to provide evidence for reasonable tumor staging in advanced gastric carcinoma (AGC).

METHODSThe clinicopathological data of 555 patients, who received radical resection for primary tumor of AGC between November 2003 and December 2011 in The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, were reviewed retrospectively. The clinicopathological factors influencing rN and pN were analyzed.

RESULTSUnivariate analysis showed that differentiation degree, vascular invasion, tumor diameter, gross type and invasion depth were significantly associated with rN or pN (all P<0.05). Histological type was significantly associated with rN (P<0.05), but not with pN. Logistic regression analysis revealed that vascular invasion, tumor diameter≥4 cm and invasion depth were independent risk factors for lymph node distant metastasis in AGC (all P<0.05). ROC curves showed that rN was consistent with pN in evaluating the diagnostic value of lymph node distant metastasis for tumor staging in AGC (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONSVascular invasion tumor diameter≥4 cm and invasion depth are independent risk factors for lymph node metastasis in AGC based on either metastatic lymph node ratio (rN) or metastatic lymph node number (pN). The rN staging is consistent with the pN staging in evaluating the diagnostic value of metastatic lymph node for tumor staging in AGC.