CT EVALUATION OF THE RESECTABILITY OF GASTRIC-CANCER POSTCHEMOTHERAPY

Background: To determine the accuracy of CT in the postchemotherapy as sessment of resectability of gastric cancer. Methods: Thirty patients deemed to have unresectable gastric cancer on CT were studied, This wa s verified at laparotomy in 10 of these patients. Following initial as sessment, all received three to eight cycles of chemotherapy aiming fo r disease control and potential resection. Serial CT examinations, end oscopy, and biopsy were performed after the fourth, sixth, and eighth cycle of treatment. The primary tumor and lymph nodes seen on CT were compared with operative findings. Results: After completion of chemoth erapy, CT findings were correct in 23 patients. Fourteen of them had o perable tumors and nine were inoperable, However, the CT findings were either equivocal or incorrect in the remaining seven patients. Conclu sion: Chemotherapy is now able to downstage a previously inoperable ga stric cancer, and CT is an accurate method in identifying those patien ts who can proceed to resection.