Clinicopathologic Evaluation of Patients with Recurrence of Gastric Cancer within 6 Months after Curative Resection

Purpose: Evaluation of the clinicopathologic characteristics of recur-red gastric cancer after curative resection is useful for detection of the recurrence and care thereof. The aim of this study was evaluating the characteristic's of recurrence that occur less than 6 months after Curative resection for gastric cancer. Methods: The study included 199 patients who recurred after curative gastrectomy that was performed in Kyung-Hee University Medical Center, from January 2000 to January 2008. Clinicopathologic findings were compared between 18 patients who recurred within 6 months after gastrectomy (early recurrence group) and 56 patients who recurred 2 years later (late recurrence group). Results: When compared with the late recurrence group, the early recurrence group was characterized by extended lymph node metastasis (P=0.005), advanced stage of disease (P=0.022), shorter survival period after recurrence (P=0.001), and more hepatic metastasis (P=0.008). Conclusion: Patients with more advanced stages of disease or those with extended lymph node metastasis have a risk of early recurrence after curative gastrectomy. Clinicopathologic characteristics related to recurrence time of gastric cancer are important in detection and effective care of recurred gastric cancer. (J Korean Surg Soc 2009;77:385-390)