Macroscopic Borrmann type as a simple prognostic indicator in patients with advanced gastric cancer

Background: The purpose of this study was to clarify the clinical significance of macroscopic Borrmann type in advanced gastric cancer.

Methods: From 1987 to 2001, we retrospectively studied the clinicopathological features and prognoses of 3,966 patients with advanced gastric cancer according to the macroscopic classification of Borrmann type.

Results: Multivariate analysis showed that gender, Borrmann type and depth of invasion were all associated with the status of nodal involvement. There were statistically significant differences in overall survival among patients with Borrmann type I and II tumors, Borrmann type III tumors, and Borrmann type IV tumors according to depth of invasion (pT) and nodal involvement (pN), except in pN3 tumors. Borrmann type was an independent prognostic factor in patients with advanced gastric cancer. Furthermore, the 5-year survival rates of patients with Borrmann type III and type IV tumors after curative resection were 62.0 and 51.2%, respectively; this was significantly higher than after noncurative resection (17.8 and 18.0%, respectively).

Conclusion: Macroscopic Borrmann type is a simple and valuable predictor for lymph node metastasis and survival in advanced gastric cancer patients.