The Influence of Group No.8p Lymph Node Dissection on the Prognosis of Advanced Gastric Cancer

Background Controversy over whether No.8p lymph nodes (LNs) involvement is distant or regional metastasis remains, and the possible inclusion of No.8p LNs in D2 lymphadenectomy is unclear. Aim This work aimed to investigate the effect of No.8p LN dissection on the prognosis of patients with different LN metastases in advanced gastric cancer (GC). Methods A retrospective case–control study was used to collect 1149 cases of radical gastrectomy from July 2003 to April 2013. The patients were divided into the No.8a group (303 cases) and the No.8a + 8p group (846 cases) according to whether No.8p LN dissection was performed. The effect of No.8p LN dissection on the prognosis of patients with different total number of LN metastasis was analyzed. Results Both No.8p positive and No.8p dissection were independent prognostic factors in patients with advanced GC. The 5-year overall survival rate (OS) of the positive No.8p group was 13.0%, and that of the negative No.8p group was 66.6%; the difference was significant ( P < 0.05). In the group where the total number of LN metastasis was 3–15, the OS of patients with positive No.8p was significantly lower than that of the negative group ( P < 0.05). The 5-year OS of the No.8a + 8p dissection group was 65.4%, and that of the No.8a dissection group was 55.5%; the difference was significant ( P < 0.05). In the group where the total number of LN metastasis was 0–2, the No.8a + 8p dissection group had significantly higher OS than the No.8a dissection group ( P < 0.05). Conclusion For patients with advanced GC, No.8p LN metastasis indicates a poor prognosis. LN dissection in the No.8a + 8p group may further improve the prognosis of some patients, especially when the total number of LN metastasis is 0–2.