Risk factors for lymph node metastases in early gastric cancer

From 1976 to 1994, 337 patients underwent curative gastric resection for Early Gastric Cancer (EGG) in this Department. Lymph node metastases were present in the dissected lymph nodes of 44 patients (13 per cent). associated: in the univariate analysis, with larger sized, submucosal invasion, diffuse histological and Pen-A types (P<0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that the independent risk factors for lymph node metastases were large tumour size (P=0.02), Pen-A type (P=0.006), diffuse histological type (P<0.001), submucosal invasion (P<0.002). long-term survival for N+ patients was lower than N- ones (P<0.001). We think that the best treatment for EGC is D2-resection and conservative treatment should be reserved for high surgical risk patients.