Clinicopathological Predisposing Factors for Gastric Stump Cancer and Its Management: A Single-Center Analytical Study

Background The incidence of gastric stump carcinoma (GSC) is not declining because of the long latency period. The survival rate of treated gastric cancer patients has increased due to early detection and improvements in surgical techniques and chemotherapy. Increased survival rates and improved surveillance following gastric surgery have increased the incidence of GSC. Aim The study aims to investigate the clinicopathological factors affecting the interval between index gastric surgery and the occurrence of GSC, and our experience in the management of GSC is presented. Methods A retrospective review of patients diagnosed with GSC in our institution was completed. Patient characteristics and clinicopathological outcomes were analyzed. Results A total of 28 patients were included in this cohort with 17 (60.71%) males and 11 (39.28%) females. The mean interval from index surgery to the incidence of GSC was 24.42 years for benign etiology and six years for malignant etiology. Index surgeries were truncal vagotomy with 14 gastrojejunostomies (50%) and 14 subtotal gastrectomies (50%). The interval between index surgery and the incidence of GSC is not statistically significant concerning the type of surgery (p: 0.661), pathological TNM (tumor, nodes, metastases) stage (p: 0.520), pathological differentiation (p: 0.828), lymphovascular invasion (p: 0.252), perineural invasion (p: 0.672), and adjuvant therapy (p: -0.655). Survival was significantly higher in those patients who received curative resection in comparison to a palliative procedure (p: 0.041). Conclusion Strict surveillance for at least 10 years after initial gastric surgery is of utmost importance as half of the patients fated to develop GSC will do so within this time. In those patients with early diagnosis, no evidence of metastasis, and good performance status, curative surgery is feasible with acceptable morbidity.