M. Moral et al., EARLY GASTRIC-CANCER AND CANCER LIMITED TO THE SUPERFICIAL MUSCULARISPROPRIA - PROGNOSTIC VALUE OF THE MORPHOLOGIC FINDINGS, Revista espanola de enfermedades digestivas, 83(5), 1993, pp. 325-331
The purpose of the study was to correlate the depth of invasion in the
gastric wall with survival in gastric cancer. In order to do so, we r
eviewed 48 patients harboring 58 gastric adenocarcinomas that did not
exceed the superficial half of the muscularis propia. The patients wer
e followed for up to a period of a least 5 years after surgery. The de
pth of invasion of the tumour in the gastric wall was found to correla
te significantly with the invasion of lymphatic capillaries (p<0,001)
and with the finding of lymph node metastasis (mucous cancer 9%, submu
cous cancer 36% and superficial muscularis propia cancer 40%; p<0,05).
The size of the tumour was directly related with the depth of the can
cerous invasion. Survival after 5 years varies significantly according
to size of tumour (< 2 cm = 100%, 2-5 cm = 86% and >5 CM=33%; p<0,000
1), invasion of lymphatic capillaries (p<0,01) and depth of the cancer
ous invasion (mucous cancer 94%, submucous cancer 84% and superficial
muscularis propia cancer 67%; p<0,05). The Lauren diffuse type or the
multicentric cancer had a worse prognosis. The depth of invasion in th
e gastric wall appears to be the most important prognostic factor, sin
ce both the size of the tumor and the lymphatic involvement are relate
d to it When the tumour is limited to the muscularis propia, the survi
val rate is intermediate between early gastric cancer and advanced can
cer.