Advanced gastric cancer patients with lymphoid stroma have better survival than those without.

BACKGROUND: Lymphoid stroma is a specific pathologic appearance in gastric cancer. This study aims to compare the clinicopathological characteristics of gastric cancer patients with and without lymphoid stroma.
METHODS: From January 1988 to February 2009, 222 out of 1,959 patients with lymphoid stroma of gastric cancer received gastrectomy at the Department of Surgery, Taipei Veterans General Hospital. Clinicopathological characteristics and survival rates were analyzed and compared among the gastric cancer patients with and without lymphoid stroma. For patients with lymphoid stroma, CD20 expression of B lymphocytes and CD3 expression of T lymphocytes were examined using immunohistochemical stains.
RESULTS: Advanced gastric cancer patients with lymphoid stroma had better 5-year survival status than those without lymphoid stroma (44.5% vs. 20.5%, P < 0.001). Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that male gender (P = 0.034), tumor invasion depth (P = 0.001), pathological staging (P = 0.006), and Ming's histological classification (P = 0.041) were significantly correlated with patients with lymphoid stroma. B lymphocytes appeared more in Borrmann type III and IV, diffuse Lauren's histological type, and lymph nodes metastases.
CONCLUSION: Advanced gastric cancer patients with lymphoid stroma had better prognosis than those without lymphoid stroma. B lymphocytes appeared more in aggressive gastric cancer tissues with lymphoid stroma.