FREQUENCY AND PREDICTIVE FACTORS RELATED TO LYMPHATIC METASTASIS IN EARLY GASTRIC CANCER

Background - The standard treatment of gastric cancer still has high morbidity and mortality in western populations. Groups of patients with negligible risk of lymph node metastasis may benefit from less invasive treatments. Data regarding the frequency and predictive factors related to lymphatic metastasis in early gastric cancer are rare. Aim - To perform the analysis of frequency and predictive factors related to lymphatic metastasis in patients with early gastric cancer treated in a tertiary center in Brazil. Methods - Nine hundred and twenty three patients underwent gastrectomy for gastric adenocarcinoma at the hospital. Of these, 126 had early tumors and were included in the analysis. Clinical and pathological related findings and lymphatic metastasis were evaluated. Results Lymph node metastases were observed in 7.8% of patients with mucosal tumors and 22.6% of submucosal tumors. The presence of ulceration, Lauren histologic type, tumors larger than 50 mm, submucosal invasion, and presence of lymphatic or vascular invasion were significant factors in univariate analysis. The presence of ulceration, lesions larger than 50 mm, infiltration of the submucosal layer and lymphatic invasion were factors independently related to lymphatic metastasis in multivariate analysis. Conclusion - Ulceration, lesions larger than 50 mm, infiltration of the submucosal layer and lymphatic invasion are independent risk factors related to lymphatic metastasis in early gastric cancer.