Risk factors associated with early recurrence of adenocarcinoma of gastroesophageal junction after curative resection.

OBJECTIVE To clarify the important clinicopathological factors affecting the early recurrence of adenocarcinoma of esophagogastric junction (AEG). METHODS We retrospectively reviewed the clinical data of 147 AEG patients who underwent R0 resection during the period from December 1995 to December 2007. Risk factors asssociated with the early recurrence were analyzed by χ(2) test and logistic regression test. RESULTS The mean time to tumor recurrence was 16.3 months after R0 resection, and the 1-year recurrence rate was 48.3%. Univariate analysis showed that the histological grade (poorly and moderately differentiated), number of positive lymph nodes, and vascular invasion were significantly related with the early recurrence (P<0.05). Logistic multivariate regression analysis showed that only histological grade and vascular invasion were independently related with early tumor recurrence (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Histological grade and vascular invasion are independent factors for predicting the early tumor recurrence after R0 resection for AEG.