According to the 2nd English Edition of the Japanese Gastric Cancer Association (JGCA) in 1998, in case of distal gastric cancer, the 14v (superior mesenteric vein) lymph node (LN) is included in the N2 group. However, in Korea, a modified radical gastrectomy is performed, and a 14v LN dissection is not done as a routine procedure. Thus, we investigated the rate of metastatic 14v LNs, evaluated the necessity of dissection of the 14v LN, and searched for indications of 14v LN dissection.

From April 2004 to August 2005, we enrolled the patients who were diagnosed as having advanced gastric cancer in the distal third portion of the stomach. We performed a distal gastrectomy with D2 lymph node dissection as defined in the 2nd English edition of the JGCA classification. We calculated the positive rate of metastatic LNs of each station and analyzed the relationship between the positive rates of No.6 LNs and 14v LNs. We also compared the positive 14v LN group with the negative 14v LN group.

The total number of patients was 50, the mean age was 56 (range 30~80) years, and sex ratio (Male/Female) was 1.63 : 1. In 47 (94%) cases, distal a gastrectomy with gastroduodenostomy was done, and in the remaining 3 (6%) cases, a distal gastrectomy with gastrojejunostomy was done. The most frequently metastatic LNs were nos. 3 and 6 (54%). The metastatic rate of the 14v LN was 10%, which was similar to that of LN no. 9. In the comparison of the 14v positive group with the 14v negative group, there were significant differences in the numbers of metastatic LNs (mean 25.4 vs 4.91, P<0.001) and the numbers of metastatic no. 6 LNs, (mean 6.8 vs 1.42, P<0.001), and if no. 6 LNs were metastatic, the possibility of metastasis to the 14v LN was 19.2%. In the 14v positive group, all cases were more than stage 3 by the UICC 6th edition.

In cases of advanced cancer with metastasis to the no. 6 LN, there was a good chance of metastasis to the 14v LN. Thus, in the operative field, if the tumor is advanced to more than stage 3 by the UICC classification and the no. 6 LN is metastatic, a 14v LN dissection is necessary. However, the usefulness of a 14v LN dissection should be evaluated prospectively through an analysis of tumor recurrence and long-term survival.