Abstract
Five-year suvivals of 2146 cases who underwent gastrectomy for primary gastric cancer at the National Kyushu Cancer Center in Fukuoka between 1972 and 1991 were analyzed. Our treatment strategy and research works for gastric cancer and our cases with gastric malignant lymphoma were also described. The 5-year survival rate was 59.6% in overall cases with gradual periodical improvement; 49.9% in period I (1972-76), 55.2% in period II (1977-81), 63.1% in period III (1982-86) and 66.3% in period IV (1987-91). The same tendency was also observed in cases with curability A+ B and those with curability C. The 5-year survival was 89.1% in stage I, 68.8% in stage II, 36.1% in stage III and 9.8% in stage IV. Periodical improvement of survials was similarly observed in all stages but stages II and III in period IV where the survival rate decreased because of partial increase in the number of patients who died of cancer in other organs or tissues. Clinical data and analysis of micrometastasis using anticytikeratin protein antibody suggested that prophylactic lymph node dissection prolonges the survivals of patients with node-negative early gastric cancer.
