Incidence of malignancies of the Billroth II operated stomach. A prospective follow-up.

In 1976 endoscopy with at least 20 biopsies and cytology were performed in 108 patients 20-25 years after partial gastrectomy (Billroth II). In one patient advanced carcinoma and in three cases severe dysplasia or carcinoma in situ, were found. At the follow-study in 1979, 7 patients had died of causes other than gastric carcinoma. A re-examination with endoscopy, biopsies and cytology were performed in fifty-eight patients. The present study did not show a progress of dysplasia in the gastric remnant during the three years of follow-up. The observations may suggest that re-examinations with gastroscopy and multiple biopsies every 3-5 years may be satisfactory in detecting carcinoma of the gastric remnant.