Electrogastrographic characteristics in patients of stomach cancer

Using a homemade electrogastrography (EGG) system, we studied the character istics of myoelectrical rhythm in gastric cancer (GC) patients. Based on a short-term Fourier transform. recorded slow waves could be automatically an alyzed to obtain the following parameters: dominant frequency/power, percen t of normal rhythm (2.4-3.7 cpm), power ratio, etc. Fifty histologically co nfirmed GC patients (34 men, 16 women) were enrolled before surgical interv ention to measure their fasting and postprandial EGG parameters for 30 min. The cancerous parameters of GC patients were then obtained postoperatively . In addition, 46 healthy subjects were enrolled for comparison. When compa red to controls, GC patients had the following characteristics: absence of postprandial increase in dominant frequency (GC: 3.04 +/- 0.47 vs 3.07 +/- 0.44 cpm, NS; controls: 3.02 +/- 0.31 vs 3.21 +/- 0.25 cpm, P < 0.001), mar ked power response after meal (P < 0.05), and obvious power ratio (4.58 +/- 7.38 vs 2.27 +/- 2.05, P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis indicated that adv anced GC was the factor responsible for the obvious dominant power enhancem ent after meal (P < 0.05). Other demographic, clinical, and cancerous facto rs did not influence EGG parameters. We conclude that apparent arrhythmia i s not encountered in GC patients, although they mainly exhibit obvious post prandial power response. Advanced GC is likely responsible for this power e nhancement on EGG recording.