[Clinical significance of post-operative follow-up gastroscopy for patients with gastric cancer: a report of 986 cases].

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the clinical significance of postoperative follow-up gastroscopy in patients with gastric cancer.

METHODS

Gastroscopy was performed in 986 patients with gastric cancer from 3 weeks to 21 years after operation. Each cases received gastroscopy 1 to 5 times in the follow-up period.

RESULTS

Recurrent cancer was found in 75 cases, multiple primary malignant tumors in 4 cases and gastric stump cancer in 9 cases in the residual stomach. Functional disturbance of emptying after subtotal gastrectomy was found in 12 cases. Retention of gastric tube or silicon tube was found at the anastomotic stoma site in 9 cases. The other non-cancerous disorders included gastritis in 187 cases, residual non-absorbable sutures in 91 cases, metal staple in 4 cases, erosion in 51 cases, ulcer in 22 cases, polyposis in 38 cases and scar stenosis in 11 cases at anastomotic site.

CONCLUSION

Routine postoperative gastroscopy check-up(s) is capable of early detecting cancer lesion and other non-cancer disorder in residual stomach. It helps increase survival rate and improve quality of life.