The Risk Factors For Lymph Node Metastasis In Mucosal Gastric Cancer: A Single Institutional Analysis

Background: Lymph node metastasis (LNM) is a major factor influencing the prognosis of early gastric cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk factors for LNM in mucosal gastric cancer. Methods: Patients who underwent curative gastrectomy with lymphadenectomy for mucosal gastric cancer between March 2011 and August 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify the clinicopathological characteristics that were risk factors for LNM. Results: A total of 530 patients with mucosal gastric cancer were enrolled. Forty-six (8.7%) patients had LNM, including 3 of the 223 with the differentiated-type and 43 of the 307 with the undifferentiated-type. A univariate analysis revealed that age, sex, tumor size, differentiation type, lymphovascular invasion, and Lauren's classification showed a significant association with LNM. Sex, tumor size, differentiation type, and lymphovascular invasion were independent risk factors for LNM according to a multivariate analysis. Conclusions: Our study revealed a relatively high incidence of LNM and identified several risk factors for LNM in mucosal gastric cancer. Endoscopic resection should be considered carefully in the management of mucosal gastric cancer.