J Gastric Cancer.  2015 Mar;15(1):1-9. 10.5230/jgc.2015.15.1.1.

Current Status and Scope of Lymph Node Micrometastasis in Gastric Cancer

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Gastroenterologic Surgery, Korea University Medical Center, Seoul, Korea. ppongttai@gmail.com
  • 2Department of Surgery, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Abstract

Recently, lymph node micrometastasis has been evaluated for its prognostic value in gastric cancer. Lymph node micrometastasis cannot be detected via a usual pathologic examination, but it can be detected by using some other techniques including immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction assay. With the development of such diagnostic techniques, the detection rate of lymph node micrometastasis is constantly increasing. Although the prognostic value of lymph node micrometastasis remains debatable, its clinical impact is apparently remarkable in both early and advanced gastric cancer. At present, studies on the prognostic value of lymph node micrometastasis are evolving to overcome its current limitations and extend the scope of its application.

Keyword

Lymph nodes; Micrometastasis; Stomach neoplasms

MeSH Terms

Immunohistochemistry
Lymph Nodes*
Neoplasm Micrometastasis*
Stomach Neoplasms*

Figure

  • Fig. 1 Microscopic view of micrometastatic foci (immunocytochemistry stain with antibody CAM 5.2, ×400). Micrometastatic foci were stained with brownish color by immunohistochemical staining.


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