The more advanced the stage, the higher the chance of recurrence
According to studies, about 30% to 50% of patients will experience recurrence after radical gastric cancer surgery, but the chances of recurrence after surgery vary by stage of gastric cancer. Overall, the more advanced the disease stage, the greater the likelihood of recurrence after surgery.
There are no large national statistics on recurrence of gastric cancer in China, but based on previous studies and combined with data from large foreign studies, the odds of recurrence after surgery for different stages of gastric cancer are 0-10% for stage I, 20%-30% for stage II, 40%-50% for stage III, and 80%-90% for stage IV (those who underwent surgery).
There is a “peak” time of recurrence
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The data show that 80% to 90% of recurrent gastric cancer occurs in the first 3 years after surgery and more than 90% in the first 5 years after surgery, so this is a “risk period” for recurrence of gastric cancer after surgery, and it is important to be especially vigilant.
Recurrence of gastric cancer is a complex issue. In addition to stage, factors affecting postoperative recurrence include histological staging, age, degree of lymph node dissection, tumor invasion of blood vessels or nerves, and drug therapy, so it cannot be generalized based on stage alone. (Contributed by Pengliang Wang, Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology, The First Hospital of China Medical University)