[Prognostic value of lymph node ratio (LNR) in patients who underwent radical gastrectomy].

The study objective was to evaluate the prognostic value of lymph node ratio (LNR) in patients with gastric cancer who underwent radical gastrectomy D2. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed retrospectively 498 medical records of patients with gastric cancer who were attended at the National Institute of Neoplastic Diseases (INEN) between 2008 and 2011and met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. They were distributed into 4 groups according to their LNR, LNR0: 0, LNR1: 0-0.13, LNR2: 0.14-0.4 and LNR3: = 0.4. RESULTS: The median of resected lymph nodes was 42 [range; 8.153] and 494 (99.2%) patients had more than 15 lymph nodes retrieved. 340 (68.5%) patients had lymph node involvement and 175 (35.1%) cases (35.1%) were classified as pN3, 94 (18.5%) pN2 and 72 (14.5%) were pN1. 285 (57.2%) patients had stage III disease. There was a significant difference between groups of LNR in overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) curves (p <0.05). According to the LNR groups there was significant differences according to age, lesion size, lymph node involvement (pN), Lauren classification, vascular invasion and lymphatic invasion (p <0.05). LNR is an important prognostic factor to explain the time of death (LNR3: HR: 6.77, 95% CI: 3.346-13.706, p <0.05) and recurrence time (LNR3: 95% CI: 2.104-13.439, p <0.05). CONCLUSION: LNR remains as an important independent prognostic factor in patients undergoing radical gastrectomy and D2 lymphadenectomy for gastric cancer.