Characteristics of advanced gastric cancer with negative or only perigastric lymph node metastasis in elderly patients

Objectives After gastrectomy with extended lymph node (LN) dissection, the damage of celiac plexus seems to cause of disorder of eating habits. To clarify the indication of gastrectomy with limited LN dissection for elderly patients, the pathological characteristics of advanced gastric cancer in elderly patients were examined in this study. Methods Forty-seven patients aged >= 80 years with advanced gastric cancer (deeper than pT2) who underwent curative gastrectomy from 1998 to 2015 were enrolled. Patients were classified into two groups by extent of LN metastasis: Group A, with N0 or only perigastric LN metastasis (n = 33); Group B, LN metastasis beyond the perigastric area (n = 14). Pathological factors were then evaluated. Results No significant differences were observed in age, sex, body mass index, American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status classification, serum level of carcinoembryonic antigen, surgical procedure, extent of LN dissection, and number of dissected LNs. Pathological findings showed no significant differences in tumor location, macroscopic type, histologic type, and lymphovascular invasion. However, significant differences were observed in tumor maximum diameter at the cut-off level of 40 mm (Group A: <= 40 mm, n = 10 and > 40 mm, n = 23; Group B: <= 40 mm, n = 0 and > 40 mm, n = 14; P = 0.02). Conclusion In the elderly patients, LN metastasis in advanced gastric cancer of <= 40 mm in diameter was limited to be within the perigastric area. Gastrectomy with only perigastric LN dissection may be adopted in these patients.