Which Lymph Node Staging System Better Predicts Prognosis in Patients With Gastric Carcinoma? A Comparative Study Between 3 Different Lymph Node Classifications for Resected Gastric Cancer in a Western Tertiary Center

INTRODUCTION: Gastric cancer (GC) is an aggressive disease with high mortality rates. Lymph node (LN) staging of GC is a major source of controversy. The aim of this study is to compare the prognostic value of 3 different LN classifications for patients with resected GC: the eighth TNM staging system, lymph node ratio (LNR, ratio between positive and total LN) and a new anatomic-based classification (Choi classification). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study of all cases of GC resected in a tertiary hospital in Spain (n=377). Clinical data were collected; histologic slides were reviewed; and univariate and multivariate analyses of disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were performed. RESULTS: In all, 315 patients fulfilled inclusion criteria. Univariate analysis showed that all classifications were significantly associated with tumor death and progression (P