OBJECTIVETo discuss the present status and progress of clinical research on recurrence of gastric cancer after surgery, including patterns, clinicopathologic factors, prognosis, detection, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment strategies.

DATA SOURCESThe data used in this review were mainly from PubMed articles published in English from 2000 to August 2011. The search terms were "gastric cancer" and "recurrence".

STUDY SELECTIONArticles were selected if they involved clinicopathologic factors, detection methods, and treatment strategies of recurrence of gastric cancer.

RESULTSPeritoneal recurrence is the most common pattern in recurrence of gastric cancer. The main risk factors for recurrence of gastric cancer are tumor stage, including depth of tumor invasion and lymph node metastasis, and Borrmann classification. The prognosis of patients with recurrence is very poor, especially patients with peritoneal recurrence. Systemic chemotherapy is still the main treatment method for patients with recurrent cancer. If complete resection can be accomplished, some benefits may be obtained from surgery for recurrence. However, standard treatment for patients with recurrence has not yet been established.

CONCLUSIONSEarly detection and diagnosis of recurrence is quite crucial for treatment and prognosis. The optimal therapeutic strategy for recurrence should be based on a multidisciplinary assessment and the patient's individual state and should involve combined therapy.

Biomarkers, Tumor ; analysis ; Humans ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; diagnosis ; rehabilitation ; surgery ; therapy ; Neoplasm Staging ; Prognosis ; Stomach Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; mortality ; pathology ; surgery

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We investigated the clinical outcomes according to the method of treatment in synchronous esophageal and gastric cancer. METHODS: Synchronous esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and gastric adenocarcinoma were diagnosed in 79 patients between 1996 and 2010. We divided the patients into four groups according to treatment; Group 1 received surgical resection for both cancers or surgery for gastric cancer with chemoradiotherapy for esophageal cancer (n=27); Group 2 was treated by endoscopic resection with or without additional treatment (n=14); Group 3 received chemoradiotherapy only (n=18); and Group 4 received supportive care only (n=20). RESULTS: The median survival times in groups 1 and 2 were 86 and 60 months, respectively. The recurrence rate and mortality were 23% and 48%, respectively, in group 1 and 21% and 4%, respectively, in group 2. The median survival time was 12 months in group 3 and 9 months in group 4. Multivariate analysis showed that age (p<0.001) and treatment group (p=0.019) were significantly associated with death. Compared with group 1, treatment in the intensive care unit (p=0.003), loss of body weight (p=0.042), and decrease in hemoglobin (p=0.033) were worse in group 1. CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic resection for synchronous esophageal and gastric cancer could be considered as a possible alternative to surgery for early-stage cancer.
Adenocarcinoma/mortality/*surgery/therapy ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/mortality/*surgery/therapy ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal/*methods ; Esophageal Neoplasms/mortality/*surgery/therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasms, Multiple Primary/mortality/*surgery/therapy ; Nutritional Status ; Risk Factors ; Stomach Neoplasms/mortality/*surgery/therapy ; Survival Analysis

OBJECTIVETo investigate the approaches to improve therapeutic effect of stomach cancer by analysis of the long-term results of surgical treatment of this disease.

METHODSPrognostic factors of stomach cancer were analyzed by Cox multivariate regression model based on clinical data of 2561 stomach cancer cases who underwent surgical treatment from 1964 to 2004 at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center. Survival rates were calculated by life table method.

RESULTSGastrectomy was performed for 1950 cases with resectability of 76.1%, among which there were 1192 cases of curative resection (46.5%) and 758 cases of non-curative resection (29.6%). The other 611 cases of palliative operation included bypass procedures and laparotomy. Operative mortality of all cases was 0.8% and morbidity was 5.1%. For all cases the 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rate was 52.4%, 38.6% and 35.5%, respectively. The stage-specific 5-year survival rate was 86.8% (Stage I), 58.7% (Stage II), 28.4% (Stage III) and 7.6% (Stage IV), respectively. The 5-year survival after curative resection in the period of 40 years was 45.5%, and increased to 52.7% in the last two decades and 61.8% in recent decade. Stage-specific case proportion during the earlier two decades was 1.4% (Stage I), 10.6% (Stage II), 23.1% (Stage III) and 64.9% (Stage IV), respectively, and that during the recent two decades was 9.3%, 18.5%, 35.3% and 36.8%, respectively. The 5-year survival rate of cases during the earlier two decades was 18.0% and increased to 37.5% during the recent two decades. Multivariate analysis indicated that main prognostic factors of stomach cancer included TNM staging, curative resection and multidisciplinary treatment.

CONCLUSIONSEarly detection and curative resection were the most important measures to improve therapeutic effect of stomach cancer. A surgery-predominant multidisciplinary treatment individualizing biological characteristics of tumor, staging of disease and tumor site will contribute to improvement of therapeutic effect of stomach cancer.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Child ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Female ; Gastrectomy ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms ; mortality ; surgery ; therapy ; Survival Analysis ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVETo evaluate efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy after D2 dissection on survival for patients with gastric cancer.

METHODSRandomized clinical trials (RCT) that compared adjuvant chemotherapy after D2 dissection with D2 dissection alone for gastric cancer were searched with Pubmed, Cochrane, Embase and CBM databases. Eligible trials published between 1990 and 2012 were included in the study. The quality of RCTs was assessed by the Jadad scale. Data synthesis and statistical analysis were performed by RevMan 5.1 software.

RESULTEight RCTs with 3633 patients were included in this study. Among them, 1824 patients received adjuvant chemotherapy and 1809 patients didn't. Adjuvant chemotherapy was associated with a significant benefit in terms of overall survival (RR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.69-0.84), disease free survival (RR = 0.72, 95%CI: 0.66-0.80) and recurrence rate (RR = 0.69, 95% CI: 0.62-0.77).

CONCLUSIONAdjuvant chemotherapy was associated with survival benefit for gastric cancer after D2 dissection.

Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Gastrectomy ; Humans ; Male ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Prognosis ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Stomach Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; mortality ; surgery ; Survival Rate

PURPOSE: Although neoadjuvant therapy has been accepted as a treatment option in locally-advanced gastric cancer, its prognostic value has been difficult to evaluate. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-four gastric cancer patients who underwent gastrectomy after neoadjuvant treatment were divided into two groups according to the pathologic response: favorable (ypT0) and others (ypT1-4). The clinicopathologic characteristics, predictive factors for pathologic response, and oncologic outcome were evaluated. RESULTS: Eleven patients (14.8%) demonstrated ypT0 and the remaining 63 patients (85.2%) were ypT1-4. Chemoradiotherapy (CCRTx) rather than chemotherapy (CTx) was the only predictive factor for a favorable pathologic response. Chemotherapeutic factors and tumor marker levels did not predict pathologic response. The 1-, 2-, and 3-year disease-free survivals were 83.4%, 70%, and 52.2%. The 1-, 3-, 5-year overall survivals were 88.5%, 67.5%, and 51.2%, respectively. Although a complete pathologic response (ypT0N0M0) was achieved in 7 patients, 28.6% of them demonstrated recurrence of the tumor within 6 months after curative surgery. CONCLUSION: CCRTx rather than CTx appears to be more effective for achieving good pathologic response. Although favorable pathologic response has been achieved after neoadjuvant treatment, the survival benefit remains controversial.
Aged ; Chemoradiotherapy/*methods ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Gastrectomy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoadjuvant Therapy ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/pathology ; Stomach Neoplasms/*drug therapy/mortality/pathology/*radiotherapy/surgery ; Treatment Outcome ; Tumor Markers, Biological

Incidence of gastric cancer is high in China and standard radical operation is currently the main treatment for gastric cancer. Postoperative complications, especially some special complications, can directly affect the prognosis of patients, even result in the increase of mortality. But the incidences of these special complications are low, so these complications are often misdiagnosed and delayed in treatment owing to insufficient recognition of medical staff. These special complications include (1) Peterson hernia: It is an abdominal hernia developed in the space between Roux loop and transverse colon mesentery after Roux-Y reconstruction of digestive tract. Peterson hernia is rare and can quickly result in gangrenous ileus. Because of low incidence and without specific clinical symptoms, this hernia does not attract enough attention in clinical practice, so the outcome will be very serious. Once the diagnosis is made, an emergent operation must be performed immediately. Peterson space should be closed routinely in order to avoid the development of hernia. (2) Lymphatic leakage: It is also called chyle leakage. Cisterna chylus is formed by gradual concentration of extensive lymphatic net to diaphragm angle within abdominal cavity. Lymphadenectomy during operation may easily damage lymphatic net and result in leakage. The use of ultrasonic scalpel can decrease the risk of lymphatic leakage in certain degree. If lymphatic leakage is found during operation, transfixion should be performed in time. Treatment includes total parenteral nutrition, maintenance of internal environment, supplement of protein, and observation by clamp as an attempt. (3)Duodenal stump leakage: It is one of serious complications affecting the recovery and leading to death after subtotal gastrectomy. Correct management of duodenal stump during operation is one of key points of the prevention of duodenal stump leakage. Routine purse embedding of duodenal stump is recommend during operation. The key treatment of this complication is to promt diagnosis and effective hemostasis.(4) Blood supply disorder of Roux-Y intestinal loop: Main preventive principle of this complication is to pay attention to the blood supply of vascular arch in intestinal edge. (5) Anastomotic obstruction by big purse of jejunal stump: When Roux-en-Y anastomosis is performed after distal radical operation for gastric cancer, anvil is placed in the remnant stomach and anastomat from distal jejunal stump is placed to make gastrojejunal anastomosis, and the stump is closed with big purse embedding. The embedding jejunal stump may enter gastric cavity leading to internal hernia and anastomotic obstruction. We suggest that application of interruptable and interlocking suture and fixation of stump on the gastric wall can avoid the development of this complication.
Anastomosis, Roux-en-Y ; adverse effects ; China ; Chylous Ascites ; etiology ; prevention & control ; therapy ; Duodenum ; blood supply ; surgery ; Gastrectomy ; adverse effects ; methods ; mortality ; Gastric Outlet Obstruction ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Gastric Stump ; surgery ; Hemostatic Techniques ; Hernia ; etiology ; prevention & control ; therapy ; High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Ablation ; instrumentation ; Humans ; Jejunum ; blood supply ; surgery ; Lymph Node Excision ; adverse effects ; instrumentation ; Lymphatic System ; injuries ; Postoperative Complications ; classification ; diagnosis ; mortality ; prevention & control ; Prognosis ; Stomach ; surgery ; Stomach Neoplasms ; complications ; surgery ; Suture Techniques ; standards ; Thoracic Duct ; injuries ; Wound Closure Techniques ; standards

BACKGROUNDThere is little information on the impact of intra-operative systemic chemotherapy on gastric cancer. The aim of this study was to identify prognostic factors in patients with locally advanced gastric cancer and undergoing curative resection, with a focus on evaluating survival benefits and tolerance of intra-operative systemic chemotherapy.

METHODSWe retrospectively analyzed clinicopathological data for 264 consecutive patients who underwent curative resection for gastric cancer at Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 2002 to January 2007. Survival curves were plotted using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using log-rank tests. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed with the Cox proportional hazard model.

RESULTSPatients who received intra-operative systemic chemotherapy had higher 5-year overall survival and 5-year disease-free survival rates (P = 0.019 and 0.010, respectively) than patients who did not receive intra-operative systemic chemotherapy. In the subgroup analysis, systemic intra-operative chemotherapy benefited the 5-year overall survival and disease-free survival rates for patients with cancer of stage pTNM IB-IIIB, but not stage pTNM IIIC. Patients who received intra-operative systemic chemotherapy in combination with post-operative chemotherapy had higher 5-year overall survival and 5-year disease-free survival rates (P = 0.046 and 0.021, respectively) than patients who only received postoperative chemotherapy. However, the difference in these rates between patients who received only intra-operative systemic chemotherapy and patients who only received curative surgery was not statistically significant (P = 0.150 and 0.170, respectively). Multivariate analyses showed that intra-operative systemic chemotherapy was a favorable prognostic factor for the overall survival and disease-free survival rates (P = 0.048 and 0.023, respectively). No grade 4 toxicities related to intra-operative systemic chemotherapy were recorded within the 4 weeks after surgery.

CONCLUSIONIntra-operative systemic chemotherapy during curative surgery may benefit patients with stage pTNM IBIIIB gastric cancer in terms of both overall survival and disease-free survival.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Antineoplastic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Gastrectomy ; methods ; Humans ; Lymph Node Excision ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Stomach Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; mortality ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prognostic value of tumor deposits(TD)in N0 stage gastric cancer. METHODS: A retrospective case-control study was performed on clinicopathological data of 751 N0 stage gastric cancer patients who underwent subsequent R0 gastrectomy from January 2011 to February 2013 at Zhengzhou University Affiliated Tumor Hospital. Patients were divided into TD-negative group (688 cases) and TD-positive group (63 cases). Propensity score matching was used to balance the covariances between the two groups, such as age, gender, differentiation degree, tumor location, T stage, perineural invasion, lymphovascular invasion, extent of resection, tumor size, surgical procedure,and chemotherapy. Matching was performed by the minimal adjacent method of 1:2 pairing. The survival analysis was carried out using Kaplan-Meier method,and differences between the curves were detected by log-rank test. Cox proportional hazard model was used to perform univariate analysis and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: After matching,56 patients were allocated into the TD-positive group and 112 patients into the TD-negative group, and the baseline of clinicopathological data of 2 groups matched well (all P>0.05). The median follow-up time was 55.2 (12.0-83.2) months, and 3 patients were lost to follow-up (died of other diseases). In TD-positive group, 38 patients died of gastric cancer and 1 died of other disease. In TD-negative group, 52 patients died of gastric cancer and 2 died of other diseases. The TD-positive group had lower 5-year survival rate than TD-negative group (31.0% vs. 52.9%,χ²=6.230, P=0.014). Subgroup analysis showed that the 5-year survival rate of T1-2 stage TD-positive patients was significantly lower than that of T1-2 stage TD-negative patients (47.1% vs. 92.6%, χ²=11.433,P<0.001),while the difference between two groups with T3-4 stage (23.8% vs. 40.0%, χ²=2.995,P=0.084)was not significant. In patients receiving chemotherapy, the 5-year survival rate of TD-positive group was significantly lower than that of TD-negative group(34.1% vs. 54.8%, χ²=4.122, P=0.042). Further subgroup analysis showed that patients receiving postoperative chemotherapy of TD-positive group both in T1-2 stage (63.6% vs. 100%, χ²=3.830,P=0.048) and in T3-4 stage (24.2% vs. 48.4%, χ²=4.740,P=0.029) had significantly lower 5-year survival rates than those of TD-negative group. However,T1-2 stage TD-positive patients receiving chemotherapy had significantly higher 5-year survival rate as compared to those without receiving chemotherapy(63.6% vs. 16.7%, χ²=5.474,P=0.019).Univariate analysis revealed T stage (HR=1.829, 95%CI:1.490-2.245, P<0.001),perineural invasion (HR=2.620, 95%CI:1.617-4.246,P<0.001),tumor size (HR=1.646, 95%CI:1.078-2.512, P=0.021),TD(HR=1.691,95%CI:1.112-2.572,P=0.014) were associated with the prognosis of patients with gastric cancer. Multivariate analysis showed TD-positive (HR=2.035, 95%CI:1.325-3.126, P=0.001), later T stage (HR=1.812, 95%CI: 1.419-2.313,P<0.001), perineural invasion (HR=1.782,95%CI:1.058-3.002,P=0.030) were independent risk factors for the prognosis of gastric cancer. CONCLUSIONS TD is an independent risk factor for N0 stage gastric cancer,and may be closely related to T stage. Patients with TD-positive stage T1-2 should receive chemotherapy, but the prognosis of TD-positive patients undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy is poorer as compared to TD-negative patients. Therefore, more individualized treatments should be administrated.
Antineoplastic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Case-Control Studies ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Gastrectomy ; Humans ; Neoplasm Staging ; Prognosis ; Propensity Score ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; mortality ; pathology ; surgery ; Survival Analysis ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinicopathologic characteristics and prognostic difference of gastric stump cancer between non-anastomotic site and anastomotic site.

METHODSClinicopathologic data of 149 patients with gastric stump cancer undergoing operation (radical resection and palliative resection) in our department from January 1999 to June 2015 were analyzed retrospectively. Gastric stump cancer was defined as a primary carcinoma detected in the remnant stomach more than 5 years after subtotal gastrectomy for a benign disease(87 cases) or over 10 years after radical subtotal gastrectomy for a malignant disease (62 cases). Patients were divided into the anastomotic site group (72 cases) and the non-anastomotic site group (77 cases) according to tumor sites within the remnant stomach. Clinicopathologic characteristics, operative data, lymph node metastasis and prognosis were compared between the two groups.

RESULTSCompared with non-anastomotic site group, the T stage, N stage and TNM stage were later in the anastomotic site group. Number of case of T1, T2, T3, and T4 stage in anastomotic site group was 1(1.4%), 2 (2.8%), 17(23.6%) and 52(72.2%), while such number in non-anastomotic site group was 8(10.4%), 10(13.0%), 27(35.1%) and 32(41.6%) respectively(χ=17.665, P=0.001). Number of case of N0, N1, N2, and N3 in anastomotic site group was 28 (38.9%), 10 (13.9%), 23 (31.9%) and 11 (15.3%), while such number in non-anastomotic site group was 55 (71.4%), 10 (13.0%), 7 (9.1%) and 5 (6.5%) respectively(χ=19.421, P=0.000). Number of case of stage I(, II(, III( and IIII( in anastomotic site group was 3(4.2%), 10(13.9%), 47(65.3%) and 12(16.7%), while such number in non-anastomotic site group was 16(20.8%), 40 (51.9%), 15(19.5%) and 6(7.8%) respectively(χ=45.294, P=0.000). The histology and Borrmann classification were worse in anastomotic site group. Anastomotic site group had 19 cases(26.4%) of good differentiation and 53 cases(73.6%) of bad differentiation, while non-anastomotic site group had 43 cases (55.8%) of well-differentiated and 34 cases (44.2%) of poorly-differentiated tumors respectively(χ=13.287, P=0.000). Anastomotic site group had 3 cases (4.2%) of Borrmann I(, 17 cases (23.6%) of Borrmann II(, 47 cases(65.3%) of Borrmann III( and 5 cases (6.9%) of Borrmann IIII(, while non-anastomotic site group had 18 cases (23.4%) of Borrmann I(, 16 cases (20.8%) of Borrmann II(, 34 cases (50.6%) of Borrmann III( and 4 cases (5.2%) of Borrmann IIII( respectively(χ=11.445, P=0.010). Compared with non-anastomotic site group, anastomotic site group had a lower curative resection rate [63.9% (46/72) vs. 89.6% (69/77), χ=13.977, P=0.000], a higher combined organ resection rate [33.3% (24/72) vs. 16.9% (13/77), χ=5.394, P=0.020] and a more metastatic lymph nodes (4.3±4.9 vs. 1.9±3.6, t=3.478, P=0.000). The lymph node metastasis rates of No.4, No.10 and jejunal mesentery root lymph node in anastomotic site group and non-anastomotic site group were 15.3% (11/72) and 5.2% (4/77)(χ=4.178, P=0.041), 9.7% (7/72) and 1.3% (1/77) (χ=5.196, P=0.023), and 25.0% (18/72) and 3.9% (3/77)(χ=13.687, P=0.000), respectively. Median followed up of all the patients was 37(2 to 154) months and the overall 5-year survival rate was 44.1%. The 5-year survival rate was 33.1% in anastomotic site group and 55.2% in non-anastomotic site group, and the difference was statistically significant between two groups (P=0.015). In the subgroup analysis according to the histology differentiation, the 5-year survival rate of patients with well-differentiation was not significantly different between two groups (43.7% vs. 56.2%, P=0.872), but the 5-year survival rate of patients with bad differentiation in anastomotic site group was significantly lower than that in non-anastomotic site group(29.8% vs. 53.8%, P=0.029).

CONCLUSIONGastric stump cancer locating in anastomotic site indicates worse differentiation histology, higher lymph node metastasis rate, lower curative resection rate and poorer prognosis.

Aged ; Anastomosis, Surgical ; adverse effects ; mortality ; statistics & numerical data ; Carcinoma ; mortality ; pathology ; therapy ; Female ; Gastrectomy ; adverse effects ; Gastric Stump ; pathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Grading ; statistics & numerical data ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms ; classification ; mortality ; pathology ; therapy ; Survival Rate ; Treatment Outcome

The anastomotic complications following radical gastrectomy mainly include anastomotic leakage, anastomotic hemorrhage, and anastomotic stricture. Theanastomotic complications are not rare and remain the most common complications resulting in the perioperativedeath of patients with gastric cancer. Standardized training could let surgeons fully realize that strict selection of operative indications, thorough preoperative assessment and preparation, and refined operation in surgery are the essential measures to prevent the anastomotic complications following radical gastrectomy. In addition, identifying these complications timely and taking effective measures promptly according to the clinical context are the keys to treating these complications, reducing the treatment cycle, and decreasing the mortality.
Anastomosis, Surgical ; adverse effects ; Anastomotic Leak ; prevention & control ; therapy ; Constriction, Pathologic ; prevention & control ; therapy ; Gastrectomy ; adverse effects ; methods ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage ; prevention & control ; therapy ; Humans ; Postoperative Complications ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Preoperative Care ; methods ; standards ; Risk Assessment ; methods ; standards ; Risk Factors ; Stomach Neoplasms ; complications ; mortality ; surgery