More Frequent Follow-up CT Scans in Postsurgical Resection Patients Than in Postendoscopic Resection Patients of Early Gastric Cancers: Impracticality of CTs for Mucosal Cancer

Rationale and objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the utility and timing of computed tomography (CT) in the detection of recurrent tumors between patients after surgical and endoscopic resections for early gastric cancer (EGC). Materials and Methods: A total of 670 patients after surgical (n = 535) and endoscopic (n =135) resections for EGC between 2007 and 2009 were enrolled. The mean numbers of CT and endoscopy between both treatment groups were compared. The mean and cumulative dose length products of CT examinations were calculated. The modality that detected recurrence was compared between the two groups using the Pearson chi-square test. Results: The mean interval of CT was significantly shorter and the mean number of CTs was significantly larger in the surgical resection group than in the endoscopic resection group. All 34 gastric recurrences were diagnosed by endoscopy. All seven extragastric recurrences occurred in patients treated for EGC with submucosal invasion. Six extragastric recurrences were detected by CT out of a total of 5417 CT scans. The average cumulative dose length product was significantly higher in the surgical group than in the endoscopic resection group (P = 0.004). Conclusion: Follow-up CTs were performed more frequently in patients after surgical resection than in patients after endoscopic resection of EGCs. However, CT scans were not effective in detecting recurrent tumors after either treatment methods, especially for patients treated for mucosal gastric cancer.