Differences in prognostic factors between early and advanced gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of this study was to assess any differences in the prognostic factors affecting long term survival in early gastric cancer (EGC) and advanced gastric cancer (AGC).

METHODOLOGY

The prognostic factors affecting long term survival between EGC and AGC were evaluated.

RESULTS

Based on the result of multivariate analysis, the variables related with poor prognosis in patient with EGC were ages of more than 60 (p=0.003, Relative risk [RR]:2.683) and more than 7 lymph nodes with metastasis (p=0.001, RR:12.129). The relevant variables in AGC were the presence of more than 7 lymph nodes with metastasis (p=0.002, RR:2.491), lymphovascular invasion (p=0.038, RR:1.476) and tumor depth (serosa ; p<0.001, RR:3.493, adjacent structure; p=0.005, RR:3.013).

CONCLUSIONS

The prognostic factors affecting long term survival are a little different between the patients with EGC and AGC. Age of more than 60 years is one of the prognostic factors affecting long term survival in patients with EGC, but not with AGC. In AGC, lymphovascular invasion and tumor depth are prognostic factors but not in EGC.