RESUMO
PURPOSE: Recently, diagnosis of stage 1 gastric cancer has increased in number and prognosis is excellent when proper treatment is done. However, some patients have recurrence and their prognosis is poor. Thus, we investigated the risk factors of recurrence in stage 1 gastric cancer patients. METHODS: From January 2004 to December 2008, a total of 1,241 number patients were operated on for stage 1 gastric cancer at the Department of General Surgery, Kosin University Gospel Hospital. We reviewed the characteristics of all patients retrospectively and compared them to recurred group (n=24) and non-recurred group (n=1,114). We analyzed the risk factors associated with recurrence. RESULTS: Twenty-four patients with stage 1 gastric cancer were recurred after radical gastrectomy. Recurrence rate was 2.05%. The most common pattern of recurrence was hematogenous (41.7%), and lymphatic (20.8%), peritoneal seeding (16.7%), combined form (12.5%), and locoregional (8.3%). Five-year survival rate was 50.08% of recurrence group. Of clinicopathological factors, depth of invasion, lymph node metastasis, lymphatic involvement and tumor marker were statistically significant between recurred and other group. CONCLUSION: In this study, tumor marker, tumor depth, node status, lymphatic channel involvement were possible risk factors of recurrence for stage 1 gastric cancer. More intensive follow up and care is needed for those with such risk factors.