Clinicopathologic characteristics of gastric cancer patients who underwent noncurative gastrectomy with long-term survival

Purpose  To demonstrate clinicopathologic characteristics of gastric cancer patients who underwent noncurative gastrectomy with long-term survival. Methods  We retrospectively reviewed 202 advanced gastric cancer patients who underwent noncurative gastrectomy. Results  The long-term survivors who survived for more than 3 years comprised four of 65 patients with a residual tumor in the peritoneum, one of 50 patients with a residual tumor from lymph node metastasis, three of 41 patients positive for the resected margin (M-factor) and 17 of 153 patients with free intraperitoneal cancer cells (Cy-factor). Multivariate analysis indicated that independent indicators affecting survival were lymph node metastasis and peritoneal metastasis in patients with the Cy-factor and histology in patients with the M-factor. Conclusions  Long-term survival can only be expected in patients with the Cy-factor who have neither macroscopic peritoneal metastasis nor lymph node metastasis or in patients with the M-factor who have a well-differentiated tumor.