RESUMO
The clinical course as well as the yield and therapeutic consequences of a strict follow-up program for 206 consecutively treated patients with cancer of the stomach were studied. Median survival was 6 months, varying from 36 months in patients with localized disease to 4 months in patients with distant metastases. Survival after a curative operation was 21 months (median); after a palliative operation survival was 3 months. The 5-year survival was 13%. During follow-up recurrence was detected in 19 out of 83 patients primarily resected for cure. Ten patients had a relaparotomy, and all had non-resectable disease. Recurrence occurred early, and usually within 9 months. Patients primarily operated on for palliation or found inoperable needed further palliative treatment 4 months post-operatively (median). In 27 patients the follow-up included gastroscopy, but recurrent disease was not diagnosed in any asymptomatic patients. We conclude that a regular follow-up program will be of minor importance in prolonging survival for patients with cancer of the stomach until effective cytotoxic regimens have been developed.