FOLLOW-UP PROBLEMS OF LASER IRRADIATION AS A LOCAL TREATMENT FOR GASTRIC-CANCER

Between 1980 and 1993, laser irradiation was performed in 117 cases of early gastric cancer, in cases in which surgical treatment was diffic ult. The follow-up periods after irradiation were relatively short (me an, 20.5 months) because many of the patients were aged, and because m any patients had some concurrent disease. When 79 cases (excluding cas es followed for only very short periods) were evaluated, the cancer-fr ee rate was low for the following groups: (1) those patients in whom t umour size was over 40 mm; and (2) in those where the 'sm' tumours wer e invading the submucosal layer. Six patients developed tumour recurre nce after laser therapy. In all six of these cases, recurrence was det ected within 1 year after the end of therapy.