Effect of gender factor on lymph node metastasis in early gastric cancer

Objective To evaluate the risk factors of early gastric cancer with lymph node metastasis. Methods Clinicopathological data of 461 early gastric cancer cases admitted at Drum Tower Hospital from June 2010 to December 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. Results Of these 461 cases of early gastric cancer there were 338 male cases and 123 female cases, with male to female ratio of 2.74∶1. There were 48(10.4%) patients with lymph node metastasis. Female patients had a higher rate of metastasis (P=0.000). Lymph node metastasis rate in males, menopause females, premenopause females is 7.3%, 16.3%, 29.0% respectively. Females had metastasis 5 years earlier than males (χ2=31.877, P=0.000). Metastasis rate in M invasion was 6.0% and in SM invasion was 17.4% (χ2=12.055, P=0.001). Conclusions There were much more males than females in early gastric cancer patients though females having a higher rate of lymph node metastasis. Gender, age and depth of invasion is independent risk factors for lymph node metastasis in early gastric cancer. Key words: Stomach neoplasms; Lymphatic metastasis; Sex factors