Prognostic factors of gastric cancer tumours of less than 2 cm in diameter.

Objective: The aim of our study was to identify clinicopathological characteristics as predictive factors for gastric cancer tumours of less than 2 cm in diameter. Methods: The clinicopathological features of 129 patients with gastric cancer tumour of less than 2 cm in diameter were reviewed retrospectively from hospital records between 1980 and 2000. The results of retrospective analysis of clinicopathological data of 58 patients with advanced cancer were compared with those of 71 patients with early cancer. Univariate and multivariate analyses of patients with gastric cancer tumours were performed to evaluate the prognostic significance of clinicopathological features. Results: Lymph-node metastasis was found more frequently in the advanced cancer group than in the early cancer group. In univariate analysis, unfavorable prognostic factors included deep cancer invasion. Using Cox's proportional hazard regression model, only depth of invasion emerged as an independent statistically significant prognostic parameter associated with long-term survival. Conclusion: Depth of invasion is an independent prognostic factor for gastric cancer tumours of less than 2 cm in diameter. Laparoscopic surgery should not be performed on tumours that are diagnosis in advanced stage and lymph-node involvement. We recommend laparoscopic surgery involving local resection of the stomach without lymphadenectomy for small, early gastric cancer tumours. However, the validity of this recommendation should be tested by a prospective randomized control trial in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]