OBJECTIVE: In 1986 a prospective multicenter observation trial in patients with resected gastric cancer was initiated in Germany. An analysis of prognostic factors based on the 10-year survival data is now presented. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 1654 patients treated for gastric cancer between 1986 and 1989 at 19 centers in Germany and Austria were included. The resected specimen were evaluated histopathologically according to a standardized protocol. The extent of lymphadenectomy was classified after surgery based on the number of removed lymph nodes on histopathologic assessment (25 or fewer removed nodes, D1 or standard lymphadenectomy; >25 removed nodes, D2 or extended lymphadenectomy). Endpoint of the study was death. Follow-up is complete for 97% of the included patients (median follow-up of the surviving patients is 8.4 years). Prognostic factors were assessed by multivariate analysis. RESULTS: A complete macroscopic and microscopic tumor resection (R0 resection according to the UICC 1997) could be achieved in 1182 of the 1654 patients (71.5%). The calculated 10-year survival rate in the entire patient population was 26.3% +/- 4.7%; it was 36.1% +/- 1.6% after an R0 resection. In the total patient population there was an independent prognostic effect of the ratio between invaded and removed lymph nodes, the residual tumor (R) category, the pT category, the presence of postsurgical complications, and the presence of distant metastases. Multivariate analysis in the subgroup of patients who had a UICC R0 resection confirmed the nodal status, the pT category, and the presence of postsurgical complications as the major independent prognostic factors. The extent of lymph node dissection had a significant and independent effect on the 10-year survival rate in patients with stage II tumors. This effect was present in the subgroups with (pT2N1) and without (pT3N0) lymph node metastases on standard histopathologic assessment. The beneficial effect of extended lymph node dissection for stage II tumors persisted when patients with insufficient lymph node dissection (<15 nodes) were excluded from the analysis. There was no difference in the postsurgical morbidity and mortality rates between patients with standard and extended lymph node dissection. CONCLUSIONS: Lymph node ratio and lymph node status are the most important prognostic factors in patients with resected gastric cancer. In experienced centers, extended lymph node dissection does not increase the mortality or morbidity rate of resection for gastric cancer but markedly improves long-term survival in patients with stage II tumors. This effect appears to be independent of the phenomenon of stage migration.

Relevant prognostic factors in gastric cancer: ten-year results of the German Gastric Cancer Study.

Over the past decade the Improving Outcomes Guidance (IOG) document has led to service re-configuration in the NHS and there are now 41 specialist centres providing oesophageal and gastric cancer care in England and Wales. The National Oesophago-Gastric Cancer Audit, which was supported by the British Society of Gastroenterology, the Association of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeons (AUGIS) and the Royal College of Surgeons of England Clinical Effectiveness Unit, and sponsored by the Department of Health, has been completed and has established benchmarks for the service as well as identifying areas for future improvements.1–3 The past decade has also seen changes in the epidemiology of oesophageal and gastric cancer. The incidence of lower third and oesophago-gastric junctional adenocarcinomas has increased further, and these tumours form the most common oesophago-gastric tumour, probably reflecting the effect of chronic gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) and the epidemic of obesity. The increase in the elderly population with significant co-morbidities is presenting significant clinical management challenges. Advances in understanding of the natural history of the disease have increased interest in primary and secondary prevention strategies. Technology has improved the options for diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy and staging with cross-sectional imaging. Results from medical and clinical oncology trials have established new standards of practice for both curative and palliative interventions. The quality of patient experience has become a significant component of patient care, and the role of the specialist nurse is fully intergrated. These many changes in practice and patient management are now routinely controlled by established multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) which are based in all hospitals managing these patients.

The original guidelines described the management of oesophageal and gastric cancer within existing practice. This paper updates the guidance to include new evidence and to embed it within the framework of the current UK National Health Service (NHS) Cancer …

https://gut.bmj.com/content/gutjnl/60/11/1449.full.pdf

Guidelines for the management of oesophageal and gastric cancer

Background Prognosis of potentially curable (M0), completely resected gastric cancer is primarily determined by pathologic T and N staging criteria. The optimal regional dissection extent during gastrectomy for gastric adenocarcinoma continues to be debated. Methods A gastric cancer data set was created through structured queries to the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database (1973 to 1999). Relationships between the number of lymph nodes (LNs) examined and survival were analyzed for the stage subgroups T1/2N0, T1/2N1, T3N0, and T3N1. Results In every stage subgroup, overall survival was highly dependent on the number of LNs examined. Multivariate prognostic variables in the T1/2N0M0 subgroup were number of LNs examined, age (for both, P < .0001), race (P = .0004), sex (P = .0006), and tumor size (P = .02). A linear trend for superior survival based on more LNs examined could be confirmed for all four stage subgroups. Baseline model–predicted 5-year survival with only one LN examined was 56% ...

Impact of Total Lymph Node Count on Staging and Survival After Gastrectomy for Gastric Cancer: Data From a Large US-Population Database

Although the results of gastric cancer treatment have markedly improved, this disease remains the most common cause of cancer death in Korea.

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Clinicopathologic characteristics and prognostic factors in 10 783 patients with gastric cancer.

Application of sentinel node biopsy to gastric cancer surgery

A retrospective immunohistological analysis of 100 patients with pT1-3 N0 and pT1-3 N1 gastric adenocarcinoma demonstrated a high frequency of micro-involvement in the removed lymph nodes. The presence of three or more tumour cells in more than 10 per cent of the lymph nodes was of significant prognostic value in the pN0 cases. Multivariate analysis identified micro-involvement as an independent prognostic factor. The results explain why patients benefit from lymphadenectomy even if the removed lymph nodes are not involved by tumour (pN0) in routine histological examination. The frequent occurrence of micro-involvement is a strong argument favouring routine D2 lymph node dissection in gastric cancer surgery in patients with lymph node metastasis.

https://bjssjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/bjs.1800840745

Benefits of D2 lymph node dissection for patients with gastric cancer and pN0 and pN1 lymph node metastases

The frequency and prognostic relevance of sarcoid-like lesions and microcarcinosis in regional lymph nodes in gastric cancer (n = 113; pT1-3, pN0-1, pM0, R0) were investigated; the prognostic value was compared with pT and pN stage, grading and Lauren's tumor classification with Cox's multivariate regression-model. Sarcoid like lesions were found in 34% of the cases (n = 113). Statistical analysis did not indicate that they had any prognostic value or showed whether or not microcarcinosis or metastasis was present; they were independent of pT stage, histological tumor type, tumor grading, and the clinical course of disease. Microcarcinosis (defined as scattered carcinoma cells within lymph node sinuses or pulp without adjacent stromal reaction) was revealed by immunohistochemistry in 90% of pN0 cases; the presence of 3 or more tumor cells per lymph node section in over 10% of sampled lymph nodes per case carried a significant prognostic value. In microcarcinosis without evidence of metastasis, the number of tumor cells and the number of involved lymph nodes are of prognostic value. In pN1 cases microcarcinosis was found as well as the metastases in 97% and had no additional prognostic value. Microcarcinosis alone has a different significance from lymph node metastasis for prognosis.

R. Kestlmeier

Papers

Benefits of D2 lymph node dissection for patients with gastric cancer and pN0 and pN1 lymph node metastases

Incidence and prognostic significance of epithelioid cell reactions and microcarcinoses in regional lymph nodes in stomach carcinoma