Investigation of the lymphatic stream of the stomach in gastric cancer with solitary lymph node metastasis.

Abstract

Understanding the lymphatic drainage route in gastric cancer is crucial for complete lymph node retrieval from sites susceptible to metastasis. However, the lymphatic stream of the stomach is complex and remains incompletely characterized. Patients with small (<4 cm) serosa-negative gastric cancer with solitary lymph node metastasis treated at the Cancer Institute Hospital were included in this study. A total of 135 patients were classified according to the location of the solitary lymph node metastasis into the left gastric artery (LGA) group, the right gastroepiploic artery (RGEA) group, the right gastric artery (RGA) group, or the splenic artery (SA) group. The location of the primary tumors was investigated to aid the mapping of the lymphatic stream of the stomach. Lymphatic flow in LGA (65 patients) and in RGEA (57 patients) are main lymphatic drainage routes of the stomach. The lymphatic area overlapped in the lower third of the stomach in LGA and RGEA, and the lymphatic flow associated with gastric cancer located within this overlapped area can be multidirectional. Skip metastases were observed in 13 patients (10%), and all skip metastases were observed in the suprapancreatic area (station 7, 8a, 9, or 11p). The lymphatic stream of the stomach is complicated and multidirectional. Understanding and mapping the complex lymphatic streams of the stomach will allow surgeons to perform more effective lymph node dissection during gastric cancer surgery.