Ratio between negative and positive lymph nodes is suitable for evaluation the prognosis of gastric cancer patients with positive node metastasis.

Objective To date, there is no consensus to evaluate the most appropriate category of the nodal metastasis for precise predication the prognosis of gastric cancer patients with positive node metastasis after curative surgery. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinicopathologic characteristics and overall survival (OS) of 299 gastric cancer patients with positive node metastasis after curative surgery for evaluation the optimal category of the nodal metastasis. Results With the univariate and multivariate survival analyses, the depth of primary tumor invasion was identified as the independent predicators with the OS of 299 gastric cancer patients with nodal metastasis postoperatively, as were the number of positive lymph nodes (PLNs), the number of negative lymph nodes (NLNs), and the ratio between negative and positive lymph nodes (RNPL). The RNPL was identified to be more suitable for predication the OS of gastric cancer patients with positive node metastasis than the ratio between positive and dissected lymph nodes (RPDL) by using the stratum procedure of survival analysis. Besides, we found both PLNs and NLNs were independently correlated with OS of gastric cancer patients with nodal metastasis when RNPL, instead of RPDL, was controlled in the partial correlation model. Conclusions RNPL, a new category of the nodal metastasis, was suitable for predication the OS of gastric cancer patients with nodal metastasis after curative resection, as were the PLNs, and NLNs.