PROGNOSTIC FACTORS IN CURATIVE RESECTIONS FOR STOMACH CARCINOMA - A UNIVARIATE AND MULTIVARIATE-ANALYSIS

The TNM system, including tumor infiltration (T category), lymph node infiltration (N category) and metastasis (M category), is a well-estab lished system of prognostic factors. To evaluate the prognostic import ance of patient characteristics and tumor parameters 5 clinical and 13 pathological factors were analyzed. Data on 200 consecutive patients with histologically verified stomach cancer were prospectively recorde d using a standardized form. In the subgroup with curative resection ( R0, n = 108) a uni- and multivariate analysis was performed with respe ct to 5-year survival. In the univariate analysis statistical signific ance was demonstrated for the following factors: tumor size, tumor loc alization, T category, N category, number of infiltrated lymph nodes i nfiltrated, lymph node compartments, tumor stage, lymph node ratio: in filtrated/inspected. Multivariate analysis, taking into consideration the interaction between prognostic factors, revealed only two factors as statistically significant: number of infiltrated lymph nodes and tu mor size. Our results and those in the literature indicate that the in filtration of lymph nodes is the most relevant prognostic factor. In a ddition to the TNM system the number of infiltrated lymph nodes seems to be of prognostic importance.