Predictive factors of lymph node metastasis in intramucosal poorly differentiated early gastric cancer and their impact on the laparoscopic surgery

Objective The aim of this study was to identify clinicopathological factors predictive of lymph node metastasis (LNM) in intramucosal poorly differentiated early gastric cancer (EGC), and further to expand the possibility of using laparoscopic surgery for the treatment of intramucosal poorly differentiated EGC. Methods Data from 65 patients with intramucosal poorly differentiated EGC and surgically treated were collected, and the association between the clinicopathological factors and the presence of LNM was retrospectively analyzed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Results Univariate analysis showed that number of tumors, tumor size and lymphatic vessel involvement (LVI) were the significant and independent risk factors for LNM (all P < 0.05). The LNM rates were 5.0%, 18.2% and 66.7%, respectively. There was no LNM in 31 patients without the three risk clinicopathological factors Conclusion The number of tumors, tumor size, and LVI are independently associated with the presence of LNM in intramucosal poorly differentiated EGC. Thus, these three risk factors may be used to set as a simple criterion to expand the possibility of using laparoscopic surgery for the treatment of intramucosal poorly differentiated EGC.