Clinicopathologic Characteristics and Prognosis of Gastric Cancer Invading the Subserosa

Background: The clinicopathologic characteristics and prognosis for gastric cancer invading subserosa (SS) are still not clear. Methods: A retrospective analysis was under taken of 1,201 patients with advanced gastric cancer (pT2, pT3, and pT4a) who had undergone gastrectomy from 1980 to 2001. Clinicopathologic characteristics and prognosis of gastric cancer invading SS were compared with those of cancers invading muscularis propria (MP) and serosa (Se). Results: Patients with cancers invading SS had larger tumors and more frequent lymphovascular invasion, lymph node and peritoneal metastasis than those with cancers invading MP. Yet, they had smaller tumors and less frequent lymphovascular invasion, lymph node and peritoneal metastasis than those with cancers invading Se. Postoperative survival with cancers invading SS was intermediate between that with cancers invading MP and Se at pN0, pN1, pN2, and pN3 stages. Multivariate analysis indicated lymph node metastasis, type of resection, curability, peritoneal metastasis, and hepatic metastasis were independent prognostic factors for patients with cancers invading SS. Conclusions: Clinicopathologic characteristics and prognosis of gastric cancer invading SS are intermediate between those of gastric cancers invading MP and Se. J. Surg. Oncol. 2010;102:737-741. (C) 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.