PROGNOSIS OF PATIENTS WITH GASTRIC CANCER REFERRED AS STAGE IV

From 1970 to 1984, 691 cases of primary gastric cancer were treated in our department. According to the General Rules for Gastric Cancer Study, 342 cases were macroscopically referred as Stage IV. Of the 342 cases, 276 patients, whose prognostic factors were all clear and free from remote metastasis, were examined. From the results of this study, it was revealed that prognosis for cases of disseminating metastasis to the adjacent peritoneum (P1), metastasis to lymph nodes of Group 3 (N3 (+)), invasion to contiguous structures (S3), S3N3 (+), and P1 N3 (+) was relatively good, if resection was performed. Such patients should be treated surgically even if noncurable.