Prognostic effects of lymph node micrometastases in patients undergoing curative gastrectomy for cancer

Aims & background: It is not known whether the presence of micrometastases in the regional lymph nodes has an impact on the oncologic outcome of patie nts undergoing a curative (R-0) gastrectomy for cancer. The aim of the stud y was to assess the effects of the presence of micrometastases on survival. Methods: We reviewed 29 patients operated on for curative (R-0) gastrectomy , with a final diagnosis of pN(0), 16 or more lymph nodes in the specimen, and a follow-up of at least 4 years. The original hemotoxylin and eosin sli des were reviewed, and a new section was cut from the lymph nodes and immun o-stained with a pool of antibodies against different types of cytokeratins . Micrometastases were detected in 5 patients (27.5% of the series) and 11 lymph nodes (1.51% of all removed lymph nodes). Results: Mortality due to cancer progression occurred in 3 patients from th e pN(0) group (14.2%) and 1 patient from the pN(1) group (12.5%). Conclusions: There was no suggestion from the data that the presence of mic rometastases carries an ominous prognosis in terms of survival.