Risk Stratification According to the Total Number of Factors That Meet the Indication Criteria for Radical Lymph Node Dissection in Patients with Early Gastric Cancer at Risk for Lymph Node Metastasis.

Abstract

Extended indications for endoscopic resection for early gastric cancer (EGC) have been widely accepted. However, according to current guidelines, additional gastrectomy with lymph node dissection (LND) is recommended for patients proven to have potential risks of lymph node metastasis (LNM) on histopathological findings. The aim of this study was to elucidate the risk stratification of outcome and LNM according to the number of factors that meet the inclusion criteria for radical LND for possible LNM (LNM risk factors) in patients with negative endoscopic resection margin. We enrolled 511 EGC patients whose tumors did not meet the absolute or extended indications for endoscopic resection, and investigated the risk stratification of prognosis and LNM according to the total number of LNM risk factors. Recurrence-free and overall survival rates were significantly higher in patients with fewer LNM risk factors for surgical indication (p = 0.0274 and 0.0002, respectively; log-rank test), and the total number of LNM risk factors and frequency of LNM were significantly correlated (p < 0.0001; Kruskal-Wallis test). When only one LNM risk factor was satisfied, the LNM ratio was 0.58 % (1/173, 95 % confidence interval 0.01-3.18). The present study suggested the possibility of using further minimally invasive treatment strategies based on the total number of LNM risk factors.