Objective:To investigate the impact of neoadjuvant immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy on the safety and efficacy of radical resection in patients with cT3-4NxM0 gastric cancer.Methods:A retrospective cohort study method was used. The clinicopathological data of 515 patients who underwent radical gastrectomy after neoadjuvant treatment at Second Department of Gastric Surgery,Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center and Department of Gastric Surgery,Zhangzhou Hospital Affiliated to Fujian Medical University from January 2020 to June 2023 were collected. Among them,379 patients received neoadjuvant chemotherapy alone(chemotherapy group),and 136 patients received neoadjuvant immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy(immunotherapy group). There were 382 males and 133 females,with an age of (58.4±10.9)years(range:26 to 85 years). To reduce the influence of potential confounding factors,a 1∶1 propensity score matching method was adopted,and the clamp value was 0.02. The peri-operative safety,imaging and postoperative pathological tumor regression,and prognosis were compared by independent sample t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, χ 2 test or Fisher exact probability method between the two groups. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to draw survival curves, and the differences between groups were compared by Log-rank test. Results:After matching, there were 101 patients in each of the chemotherapy group and the immunotherapy group. The baseline data of the patients in the two groups were evenly distributed (all P>0.05). According to the RECIST 1.1 criteria, the complete response rate (11.9% (12/101) vs. 4.0% (4/101)), partial response rate(68.3%(69/101) vs. 53.4%(54/101)), stable disease rate (17.8%(18/101) vs. 39.6%(40/101)) and disease progression rate (2.0%(2/101) vs. 3.0%(3/101)) between the immunotherapy group and the chemotherapy group were no statistical defferences ( χ2=14.374, P=0.002), and objective response rate (80.2%(81/101) vs. 57.4%(58/101), χ2=12.203, P<0.01) in the immunotherapy group was higher than that in the chemotherapy group. The results of postoperative pathological examination showed that the immunotherapy group had a higher complete response rate (16.8%(17/101) vs. 6.9% (7/101), χ2=4.728, P=0.030) and major pathological response rate (42.6%(43/101) vs. 23.8% (24/101), χ2=8.062, P=0.005). For the two groups, the operation time (175.0(76.0)minutes vs. 160.0 (30.0)minutes, Z=-0.059, P=0.953), intraoperative blood loss (110.0 (150.0)ml vs. 100.0 (120.0)ml, Z=-0.370, P=0.712), overall incidence of postoperative complications (20.8%(21/101) vs. 18.8%(19/101), χ2=0.125, P=0.724) and incidence of severe complications (5.0%(5/101) vs. 3.0%(3/101), χ2=0.130, P=0.718) were comparable. The median follow-up time of all patients was 46 months(range: 19 to 61 months). The 3-year overall survival rate (63.2% vs. 54.4%, P=0.035) and progression-free survival rate (59.1% vs. 45.6%, P=0.022) of the immunotherapy group were higher than those of the chemotherapy group. Meanwhile, there were no statistically significant differences in the incidence of neoadjuvant-treatment-related adverse events (48.5%(49/101) vs. 40.6% (41/101), χ2=1.283, P=0.411) and the incidence of severe adverse reactions of grade 3 or above (13.9% (14/101) vs. 10.9% (11/101), χ2=0.257, P=0.522) between the two groups. Conclusion:Neoadjuvant immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy can significantly improve the imaging and postoperative pathological tumor response rates and 3-year survival rate of patients with locally advanced gastric cancer,without increasing the incidence of postoperative complications and neoadjuvant treatment-related adverse event.

Objective:To explore the prognosis after radical resection for stage Ⅰ gastric cancer and the application value of adjuvant chemotherapy.Methods:The retrospective cohort study was conducted. The clinicopathological data of 3 353 patients with stage Ⅰ gastric cancer who were admitted to Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center from January 2000 to December 2022 were collected. There were 2 369 males and 984 females, aged 60(range, 21-91) years. All patients underwent radical R 0 resection. Observation indicators: (1) clinicopathological characteristics of patients; (2) influencing factors for postoperative prognosis of patients; (3) prognostic analysis of patients; (4) construction and validation of a predictive model for the efficacy of postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy. Comparison of count data between groups was conducted using the chi-square test. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed using the Cox proportional hazards regression model. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate survival rates and draw survival curves, and the Log-rank test was used for survival analysis. Based on the multivariate analysis result, a nomogram prediction model was constructed to predict survival benefit. Results:(1) Clinicopatho-logical characteristics of patients. The highly, moderately, and poorly differentiated tumors were observed in 16, 234, 396 cases of 646 patients aged <50 years and 279, 1 617, 811 cases of 2 707 pati-ents aged ≥50 years, respectively, showing a significant difference in degree of tumor differentiation between them ( P<0.05). For 297 patients in stage T1N1M0, cases aged <50 years and ≥50 years were 71 and 226, cases of males and females were 184 and 113, cases with negative and positive vascular invasion were 37 and 260, cases with negative and positive nerve invasion were 275 and 22, cases without and with postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy were 222 and 75, respectively. The above indicators for 678 patients in stage T2N0M0 105, 573, 533, 145, 517, 161, 526, 152, 563, 115, respectively. There were significant differences in the above indicators between the two groups ( P<0.05). (2) Influencing factors for postoperative prognosis of patients. Results of multivariate analysis showed that age ≥50 years, stage T2, moderately differentiated tumor, the number of lymph nodes dissected <16, positive vascular invasion, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) ≥5 μg/L, and CA19-9 ≥37 U/mL were independent risk factors for disease-free survival (DFS) after surgery for stage Ⅰ gastric cancer ( hazard ratio=4.600, 1.555, 1.835, 1.362, 1.451, 1.571, 2.134, 95% confidence interval as 2.806-7.541, 1.205-2.006, 1.016-3.314, 1.059-1.753, 1.057-1.993, 1.100-2.243, 1.257-3.625, P<0.05). Age ≥50 years, stage T2, the number of lymph nodes dissected <16, positive vascular invasion, CEA ≥5 μg/L, and CA19-9 ≥37 U/mL were independent risk factors for overall survival (OS) after surgery for stage Ⅰ gastric cancer ( hazard ratio=5.208, 1.597, 1.373, 1.520, 1.464, 2.356, 95% confidence interval as 3.028-8.955, 1.231-2.072, 1.060-1.777, 1.099-2.104, 1.004-2.134, 1.385-4.009, P<0.05). Postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy was an independent protective factor for both DFS and OS after surgery for stage I gastric cancer ( hazard ratio=0.361 0.297, 95% confidence interval as 0.177-0.736, 0.131-0.674, P<0.05). (3) Prognostic analysis of patients. According to the results of multi-variate analysis, among 3 353 patients, there were significant differences in 5-year DFS rate and 10-year OS rate between patients aged <50 years and ≥50 years ( P<0.05). There were significant differences in 5-year DFS rate and 10-year OS rate among patients in TNM stage ⅠA and ⅠB ( P<0.05). There were significant differences in 5-year DFS rate and 10-year OS rate among patients in stage T1N0M0, T1N1M0, T2N0M0 ( P<0.05). There were significant differences in 5-year DFS rate and 10-year OS rate among patients with the highly, moderately, and poorly differentiated tumors ( P<0.05). There were significant differences in 5-year DFS rate and 10-year OS rate among patients with the number of lymph lodes dissected <16 and ≥16 ( P<0.05). There were significant differences in 5-year DFS rate and 10-year OS rate between patients with negative and positive vascular invasion ( P<0.05). There were significant differences in 5-year DFS rate and 10-year OS rate between patients with and without postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy ( P<0.05), among patients in stage T1N0M0, T1N1M0, T2N0M0 who received no postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy ( P<0.05). For patients in stage T1N1M0, there was no significant difference in 5-year DFS rate and 10-year OS rate between patients with and without postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy ( P>0.05).Results of stratified analysis showed that for patients aged ≥ 50 years, there were significant differences in 5-year DFS rate and 10-year OS rate between patients with and without postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy ( P<0.05). For patients in stage T2N0M0, there were significant differences in 5-year DFS rate and 10-year OS rate between patients with and without postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy ( P<0.05). For patients with positive vascular invasion, there were significant differences in 5-year DFS rate and 10-year OS rate between patients with and without postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy ( P<0.05). (4) Construction and validation of a predictive model for the efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy. A nomogram predictive model was constructed based on the multivariate analysis results of OS and used for calculating net benefits and distribution. Among the 3 096 patients without postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy, 1 009 cases had a predicted net benefit of >5%-10%, and 250 patients had a predicted net benefit >10%. The predicted survival analysis further verified that the predicted benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy was consistent with the prognosis of patients. Conclusions:Patients with age ≥50 years, stage T2 tumors, moderately differentiated tumor, the number of lymph nodes dissected <16, positive vascular invasion have worse survival prognosis postoperative. Postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy provides better prognosis in high-risk patients. Patients in stage T1N1M0 have lower recurrence and survival risks, of whom with 1 metastatic lymph node is more suitable for follow-up rather than postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy.

With continuous advancements in medical technology, the increasing detection rate of early gastric cancer, and the growing emphasis on postoperative quality of life among both patients and physicians, function-preserving gastrectomy (FPG) has emerged as a critical surgical approach. In May 2021, the publication of Chinese expert consensus on function-preserving gastrectomy for gastric cancer (2021)" (hereafter referred to as the "Consensus") marked the first systematic elaboration of the definition, indications, and surgical techniques of FPG in China, thereby facilitating its standardized implementation nationwide. In recent years, the rapid evolution of emerging technologies such as functional visualization, lymph node mapping, vascular navigation, and artificial intelligence has further refined the conceptual framework and clinical applications of FPG. Concurrently, the release of pivotal clinical research findings has provided high-level evidence to inform key therapeutic strategies within FPG. Against this backdrop, we convened a panel of leading experts in the field to update and expand the "Consensus" by integrating recent advancements in research and clinical practice. The revised version includes 13 specific recommendations, further enhancing its value as a practical guide for clinical decision-making. This article aims to provide an in-depth interpretation of the updated recommendations outlined in the revised "Consensus."

Objective:To explore the optimal age cutoff for diagnosis and the prognosis of early-onset gastric cancer in young patients.Methods:Clinicopathological data of patients with gastric adenocarcinoma aged ≤45 years who had undergone radical gastrectomy in the Department of Gastric Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center from January 2013 to December 2018 were retrospectively collected. Patients with distant metastases, other malignant tumors, combined organ resection, gastric stump cancer, positive margin, and incomplete clinical or follow-up data were excluded. X-tile software analysis of the actual overall survival of the collected cases yielded an optimal cut-off of 32 years. Accordingly, the enrolled cases were divided into an early-onset young group (age ≤32 years) and young adult group (age >32 years). Clinicopathological characteristics, long-term survival, and postoperative recurrence were compared between the two groups. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed using the Cox proportional hazards model to identify the factors affecting the prognosis of young patients with gastric cancer.Results:The study cohort comprised 462 patients, including 256 (55.4%) women, 419 (90.7%) with middle and lower gastric cancers, and 343 (74.2%) with poorly differentiated tumors. There were 101 patients in the early-onset young group and 361 in the young adult group. These groups did not differ significantly in terms of sex, body mass index, tumor location, tumor size, surgical procedure, neurovascular invasion, or tumor stage (all P>0.05). The proportion of patients with poorly differentiated tumors in the early-onset young group was significantly higher than that in the young adult group (89.1%[90/101] vs. 70.1%[253/361], χ 2=15.26, P<0.001). All study patients completed 5 years of follow-up, the median duration of which was 101 months (61-133 months). Death or tumor recurrence occurred in 151 patients (32.7%), in 118 of whom the sites of recurrence and metastasis could be identified, 38 in the early-onset young group and 80 in the young adult group. Fifty-five (46.6%) patients developed peritoneal metastases and 40 (33.9%) hematogenous metastases. In the early-onset young group, 20 patients developed peritoneal metastases, 11 hematogenous metastases, five distant lymph node metastases, and two local recurrence. In the young adult group, 35 patients developed peritoneal metastases, 29 hematogenous metastases, six local recurrences, and 10 distant lymph node metastases. The 5-year overall survival and disease-free survival rates were significantly higher in the young adult group than in the early-onset young group (73.7% vs. 57.4%, P=0.002 and 70.6% vs. 55.4%, P=0.004, respectively). Cox multivariate analysis showed that age >32 years (HR=0.63, 95%CI: 0.43-0.90, P=0.012) was an independent protective factor for overall survival, whereas later N stage (HR=1.67, 95%CI:1.09-2.57, P=0.018) was an independent risk factor for overall survival after surgery ( P<0.05). Age >32 years (HR=0.60, 95%CI: 0.41-0.86, P=0.006) was also an independent protective factor for disease-free survival, whereas later N stage was an independent risk factor (HR=1.69, 95%CI: 1.08-2.64, P=0.021). Conclusion:Young patients with early-onset gastric cancer aged ≤32 years have worse tumor differentiation and prognosis.

[Objective]To summarize the distribution characteristics and mutual combination rules of syndrome elements through the extraction of syndrome elements from recent literature on recurrent oral ulcers,analyze the etiology and pathogenesis and provide theoretical basis for clinical diagnosis and treatment in traditional Chinese medicine.[Methods]The clinical literature related to recurrent oral ulcers in the past four years in the China National Knowledge Infrastructure and WanFang databases was searched,key information such as syndromes and syndrome elements was extracted,an information database was established,and frequency analysis was conducted.[Results]One hundred and sixty-one literatures were included,and 26 standard Chinese medicine syndromes for recurrent oral ulcers were extracted.Heart-spleen heat accumulation syndrome was the most common,followed by Yin deficiency and fire hyperactivity syndrome,dampness-heat due to spleen deficiency syndrome,phlegm and blood stasis were the least common.A total of 8 disease location syndrome elements were extracted from the spleen,heart,stomach,liver,kidney,gallbladder,lung and large intestine.The most common disease location syndrome was the spleen,followed by the heart,and the large intestine was the least frequent.Fourteen disease syndrome elements including heat,blood deficiency,and poison were extracted.The most common was heat,followed by Yin deficiency,and dryness was the least frequent.There were 10 combinations of syndrome elements,among which spleen+heat,heart+spleen+heat,heart+fire were the most frequent,and liver+blood deficiency was the least frequent.[Conclusion]The main type of recurrent oral ulcers is characterized by heart-spleen heat accumulation,which is most closely related to the spleen,the pathological factor is heat.Clinical treatment of recurrent oral ulcers often starts with the three organs of the spleen,heart and stomach,with the three most important methods of reducing fire,clearing heat and eliminating dampness.

Objective:To establish the minimum number of negative lymph nodes (nLN) required for patients undergoing gastrectomy.Methods:This was a retrospective cohort study with inclusion criteria as follows: (1) radical gastrectomy; (2) histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma; (3) complete tumor staging information; and (4) known number of lymph nodes harvested. The exclusion criteria were: (1) other concurrent malignant tumors; (2) metastatic or recurrent gastric cancer; (3) initial surgery performed at another hospital; (4) preoperative neoadjuvant therapy; (5) distant metastasis; and (6) incomplete clinical data or follow-up information. Based on the above criteria, a total of 11 167 patients with gastric adenocarcinoma who underwent radical subtotal gastrectomy (RSG) or radical total gastrectomy (RTG) in the Department of Gastric Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2022, were included in the study. Among them, there were 7 596 cases in the RSG group and 3 571 cases in the RTG group. Restricted cubic spline (RCS) analysis was used to determine the ideal threshold for nLN for RSG and RTG patients. Survival analysis was conducted using Kaplan-Meier (KM) curves and log-rank tests, and propensity score matching (PSM) was utilized to balance parameters between two groups. Furthermore, subgroup analysis was conducted for RSG patients based on tumor location (upper, middle and lower) to determine the minimum number of nLN in each subgroup.Results:For patients who underwent RSG, the mean number of nLN was 21.9, with a median of 21. RCS analysis showed that more than 21 nLN was associated with better survival. Moreover, both pre- and post-PSM analysis confirmed that patients with nLN ≥21 had better survival benefits compared to those with nLN <21 (overall survival [OS]: P<0.001 before PSM, P=0.013 after PSM; disease-free survival [DFS]: P<0.001 before PSM, P=0.013 after PSM). For patients who underwent RTG, the mean number of nLN was 23.5, with a median of 22. Here RCS analysis indicated that more than 22 nLN was associated with better postoperative survival in RTG patients, and both pre- and post-PSM analysis confirmed that patients with nLN ≥22 had better survival benefits compared to those with nLN<22 (OS: P<0.001 both before and after PSM; DFS: P<0.001 both before and after PSM). Subgroup analysis showed that for RSG patients with tumor located in the upper part, having ≥17 nLN (OS: both P<0.001), and for RSG patients with tumor located in the middle and lower part, having ≥22 nLN (OS: both P<0.001), were associated with better prognoses. Conclusions:For patients who receive RSG, the minimal number of nLN is ideally ≥21 (upper ≥17, middle and lower ≥22). Similarly, for patients who receive RTG, the minimum number of nLN ideally is 22.

Objective:To establish the minimum number of negative lymph nodes (nLN) required for patients undergoing gastrectomy.Methods:This was a retrospective cohort study with inclusion criteria as follows: (1) radical gastrectomy; (2) histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma; (3) complete tumor staging information; and (4) known number of lymph nodes harvested. The exclusion criteria were: (1) other concurrent malignant tumors; (2) metastatic or recurrent gastric cancer; (3) initial surgery performed at another hospital; (4) preoperative neoadjuvant therapy; (5) distant metastasis; and (6) incomplete clinical data or follow-up information. Based on the above criteria, a total of 11 167 patients with gastric adenocarcinoma who underwent radical subtotal gastrectomy (RSG) or radical total gastrectomy (RTG) in the Department of Gastric Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2022, were included in the study. Among them, there were 7 596 cases in the RSG group and 3 571 cases in the RTG group. Restricted cubic spline (RCS) analysis was used to determine the ideal threshold for nLN for RSG and RTG patients. Survival analysis was conducted using Kaplan-Meier (KM) curves and log-rank tests, and propensity score matching (PSM) was utilized to balance parameters between two groups. Furthermore, subgroup analysis was conducted for RSG patients based on tumor location (upper, middle and lower) to determine the minimum number of nLN in each subgroup.Results:For patients who underwent RSG, the mean number of nLN was 21.9, with a median of 21. RCS analysis showed that more than 21 nLN was associated with better survival. Moreover, both pre- and post-PSM analysis confirmed that patients with nLN ≥21 had better survival benefits compared to those with nLN <21 (overall survival [OS]: P<0.001 before PSM, P=0.013 after PSM; disease-free survival [DFS]: P<0.001 before PSM, P=0.013 after PSM). For patients who underwent RTG, the mean number of nLN was 23.5, with a median of 22. Here RCS analysis indicated that more than 22 nLN was associated with better postoperative survival in RTG patients, and both pre- and post-PSM analysis confirmed that patients with nLN ≥22 had better survival benefits compared to those with nLN<22 (OS: P<0.001 both before and after PSM; DFS: P<0.001 both before and after PSM). Subgroup analysis showed that for RSG patients with tumor located in the upper part, having ≥17 nLN (OS: both P<0.001), and for RSG patients with tumor located in the middle and lower part, having ≥22 nLN (OS: both P<0.001), were associated with better prognoses. Conclusions:For patients who receive RSG, the minimal number of nLN is ideally ≥21 (upper ≥17, middle and lower ≥22). Similarly, for patients who receive RTG, the minimum number of nLN ideally is 22.

With continuous advancements in medical technology, the increasing detection rate of early gastric cancer, and the growing emphasis on postoperative quality of life among both patients and physicians, function-preserving gastrectomy (FPG) has emerged as a critical surgical approach. In May 2021, the publication of Chinese expert consensus on function-preserving gastrectomy for gastric cancer (2021)" (hereafter referred to as the "Consensus") marked the first systematic elaboration of the definition, indications, and surgical techniques of FPG in China, thereby facilitating its standardized implementation nationwide. In recent years, the rapid evolution of emerging technologies such as functional visualization, lymph node mapping, vascular navigation, and artificial intelligence has further refined the conceptual framework and clinical applications of FPG. Concurrently, the release of pivotal clinical research findings has provided high-level evidence to inform key therapeutic strategies within FPG. Against this backdrop, we convened a panel of leading experts in the field to update and expand the "Consensus" by integrating recent advancements in research and clinical practice. The revised version includes 13 specific recommendations, further enhancing its value as a practical guide for clinical decision-making. This article aims to provide an in-depth interpretation of the updated recommendations outlined in the revised "Consensus."

Objective:To explore the optimal age cutoff for diagnosis and the prognosis of early-onset gastric cancer in young patients.Methods:Clinicopathological data of patients with gastric adenocarcinoma aged ≤45 years who had undergone radical gastrectomy in the Department of Gastric Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center from January 2013 to December 2018 were retrospectively collected. Patients with distant metastases, other malignant tumors, combined organ resection, gastric stump cancer, positive margin, and incomplete clinical or follow-up data were excluded. X-tile software analysis of the actual overall survival of the collected cases yielded an optimal cut-off of 32 years. Accordingly, the enrolled cases were divided into an early-onset young group (age ≤32 years) and young adult group (age >32 years). Clinicopathological characteristics, long-term survival, and postoperative recurrence were compared between the two groups. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed using the Cox proportional hazards model to identify the factors affecting the prognosis of young patients with gastric cancer.Results:The study cohort comprised 462 patients, including 256 (55.4%) women, 419 (90.7%) with middle and lower gastric cancers, and 343 (74.2%) with poorly differentiated tumors. There were 101 patients in the early-onset young group and 361 in the young adult group. These groups did not differ significantly in terms of sex, body mass index, tumor location, tumor size, surgical procedure, neurovascular invasion, or tumor stage (all P>0.05). The proportion of patients with poorly differentiated tumors in the early-onset young group was significantly higher than that in the young adult group (89.1%[90/101] vs. 70.1%[253/361], χ 2=15.26, P<0.001). All study patients completed 5 years of follow-up, the median duration of which was 101 months (61-133 months). Death or tumor recurrence occurred in 151 patients (32.7%), in 118 of whom the sites of recurrence and metastasis could be identified, 38 in the early-onset young group and 80 in the young adult group. Fifty-five (46.6%) patients developed peritoneal metastases and 40 (33.9%) hematogenous metastases. In the early-onset young group, 20 patients developed peritoneal metastases, 11 hematogenous metastases, five distant lymph node metastases, and two local recurrence. In the young adult group, 35 patients developed peritoneal metastases, 29 hematogenous metastases, six local recurrences, and 10 distant lymph node metastases. The 5-year overall survival and disease-free survival rates were significantly higher in the young adult group than in the early-onset young group (73.7% vs. 57.4%, P=0.002 and 70.6% vs. 55.4%, P=0.004, respectively). Cox multivariate analysis showed that age >32 years (HR=0.63, 95%CI: 0.43-0.90, P=0.012) was an independent protective factor for overall survival, whereas later N stage (HR=1.67, 95%CI:1.09-2.57, P=0.018) was an independent risk factor for overall survival after surgery ( P<0.05). Age >32 years (HR=0.60, 95%CI: 0.41-0.86, P=0.006) was also an independent protective factor for disease-free survival, whereas later N stage was an independent risk factor (HR=1.69, 95%CI: 1.08-2.64, P=0.021). Conclusion:Young patients with early-onset gastric cancer aged ≤32 years have worse tumor differentiation and prognosis.

Objective:To investigate the influencing factors and prognosis of early recurrence after gastrectomy for gastric cancer.Methods:The retrospective cohort study was conducted. The clinicopathological data of 2 078 patients who underwent gastrectomy for gastric cancer at six medical centers across China, including Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center et al, between January 2012 and June 2023 were collected. There were 1 449 males and 629 females, aged (59±11) years. Patients were classified as early recurrence and late recurrence based on the time of post-operative recurrence. Observation indicators: (1) comparison of clinicopathological characteristics between gastric cancer patients with different recurrence types; (2) recurrence and metastasis of tumor; (3) survival of patients after postoperative recurrence of gastric cancer; (4) analysis of influencing factors for early recurrence after gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Comparison of measurement data with normal distribution between groups was conducted using the independent sample t test. Comparison of measurement data with skewed distribution between groups was conducted using the Mann-Whitney U test. Comparison of count data between groups was conducted using the chi-square test. Comparison of ordinal data between groups was conducted using the rank sum test. Multivariate analysis was conducted using the Logistic regression model. Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate survival rate and plot survival curve, and Log-rank test was used for survival analysis. Results:(1) Comparison of clinicopathological characteristics between gastric cancer patients with different recurrence types. Among the 2 078 patients, 1 452 cases had early recurrence and 626 cases had late recurrence. There were significant differences in preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen, preoperative CA19-9, preoperative CA72-4, preoperative albumin, tumor diameter, neoadjuvant therapy, R 0 resection, combined organ resection, scope of gastric resection, nerve and vessel infiltration, degree of tumor differentiation, pathological N staging, pathological TNM staging between early and late recurrence patients ( P<0.05). (2) Recurrence and metastasis of tumor. Among the 2 078 patients, 200 cases had local recurrence, 1 213 cases had hematogenous metastases, 392 cases had distant lymph node metastases, and 731 cases had peritoneal metastases. Among the 1 452 early recurrence patients, 142 cases had local recurrence, 834 cases had hematogenous metastases, 289 cases had distant lymph node metastases, and 507 cases had peritoneal metastases. Among the 626 late recurrence patients, 58 cases had local recurrence, 379 cases had hematogenous metastases, 103 cases had distant lymph node metastases, and 224 cases had peritoneal metastases. One patient may have multiple forms of recurrence and metastasis. There was no significant difference in the above indica-tors between early and late recurrence patients ( χ2=0.13, 1.74, 3.40, 0.14, P>0.05). (3) Survival of patients after postoperative recurrence of gastric cancer. All 2 078 patients were followed up until death after recurrence, with a follow-up time of 31(range, 9?147)months. The 1-, 2-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rates after recurrence were 33.5%, 17.2%, 10.1%, and 3.3% in early recurrence patients, versus 44.2%, 21.6%, 12.8%, and 5.8% in late recurrence patients, respectively, showing a significant difference in overall survival after recurrence between the two groups ( hazard ratio=0.84, 95% confidence interval as 0.76?0.92, P<0.05). (4) Analysis of influencing factors for early recurrence after gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Results of multivariate analysis showed that combined organ resection, total gastrectomy, pathological TNM staging as stage Ⅲ were independent risk factors for early recurrence after gastrectomy for gastric cancer ( odds ratio=1.31, 1.32, 1.34, 95% confidence interval as 1.01?1.70, 1.06?1.65, 1.05?1.71, P<0.05) and normal preoperative tumor markers, neoadjuvant therapy, R 0 resection were independent protective factors for early recurrence ( odds ratio=0.61, 0.50, 0.38, 95% confidence interval as 0.49?0.76, 0.35?0.72, 0.25?0.58, P<0.05). Conclusions:Compared with patients with late recurrence after gastric cancer surgery, patients with early recurrence have a poor prognosis, in which liver metastases is more common. Combine organ resection, total gastrectomy, pathological TNM staging as stage Ⅲ are independent risk factors for early recurrence, and normal preoperative tumor markers, neoadjuvant therapy, R 0 resection are independent protective factors for early recurrence after gastrectomy for gastric cancer.