Prognostic factors and score systems in gastric cancer

Several tumor-related, patient-related, and treatment-related prognostic factors have been identified for gastric cancer patients. Tumor stage, surgical radicality, tumor location, and patient age are the most important conventional prognostic variables. Extended lymphadenectomy and higher numbers of removed lymph nodes are also related to a better prognosis. The role of other factors is controversial or not generally validated. The main feature of prognostic scores is the possibility to simultaneously consider a set of potential prognostic variables and thus to assign a risk of recurrence or death to individual patients. A prognostic score was developed by the IRGGC based on a cohort of patients treated by potentially curative surgery and submitted to periodic follow-up examinations. This score can be easily included in database programs and its accuracy verified. The score has been recalculated according to the new TNM classification of gastric cancer and is currently being validated in a prospective multicenter study.