Prognostic factors of advanced gastric carcinoma without serosal invasion (pT2 gastric carcinoma)

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The purpose of this study was to investigate the prognosti c factors of advanced gastric carcinoma without serosal invasion (pT2 gastr ic carcinoma), for the planning of therapeutic strategy. METHODOLOGY: Prognostic factors were evaluated by univariate and multivaria te analysis in a total of 304 curatively resected pT2 gastric carcinoma pat ients in whom the tumor invaded the muscularis propria or the subserosa. RESULTS: Macroscopic type, depth of invasion, lymph mode metastasis and ven ous invasion were significantly related to outcome, using univariate analys is. Lesions resembling early gastric carcinoma had better prognosis than le sions belonging to one of the Borrmann types. Multivariate analysis (Cox's proportional hazards model) demonstrated that macroscopic type, lymph node metastasis and venous invasion, but not depth of invasion, were significant prognostic factors. CONCLUSIONS: Macroscopic appearance, lymph node metastasis and venous invas ion were the important prognostic factors of pT2 gastric carcinoma. Extensi ve lymph node dissection and aggressive post-operative chemotherapy should be performed, especially in Borrmann type lesions with lymph node metastasi s.