Predictors of Timing and Patterns of Recurrence after Curative Resection for Gastric Cancer

Aims: The aim of the study was to characterize recurrence patterns and identify predictors of recurrence after curative resection. Methods: Of 2,786 patients that underwent curative resection for gastric cancer from 2001 to 2006 at the Korean National Cancer Center, 439 (15.8%) experienced recurrence. Patterns of recurrence, clinicopathological characteristics, and therapeutic modalities were compared between 251 patients who had recurrence within 1 year (the early recurrence group) and 188 patients who had recurrence after more than a year (the late recurrence group). Multivariate analysis was performed to identify independent factors associated with the timing of recurrence. Results: In the early recurrence group, the most common pattern was hematogenous metastasis, and in the late recurrence group, the most common pattern was locoregional and peritoneal recurrence. The early recurrence group was characterized by a larger tumor, frequent lymph node (LN) metastasis, and venous, and perineural invasion. Multivariate analysis showed that LN metastasis and venous invasion were independent predictors of early recurrence. Median survival after recurrence was significantly shorter in the early recurrence group (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Hematogeneous metastasis was more common in the early recurrence group and LN metastasis and venous invasion were independent predictors of the timing of recurrence. Copyright (C) 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel