Abstract

Fifty-seven patients recieved reoperation for the recurred stomach cancer at the Department of Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital, from January 1970 to April 1983, and we reviewed the medical records of 52 cases with available first pathologic report. At the first operation, serosal invasion was discovered in 87%, lymph node metastasis in 81% and the cellular differentiation was poor in 78% of the cases. Seventy-nine percent of the cases showed recurrence within 2 years after the first operation. If the primary stomach cancer was poorly differentiated cell type with serosal invasion and the cancer recurred within 2 years after the first operation curative reoperation was impossible. We could not find any benefit of reoperation for the prolongation of the survival time in the 52 cases. Even in the 3 cases with reoperation of curatie radical extended total gastrectomy, the recurred stomach cancer showed advanced stage.