Stomach cancer: prevalence and significance of neck nodal metastases on sonography

The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of metastatic neck nodes detected using sonography in patients with stomach cancer at presentation according to primary subsite and to assess the effect of metastatic neck node detection on tumour staging. Imaging and histological records of 233 patients diagnosed with stomach cancer were reviewed. All patients underwent neck ultrasound at presentation with ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration for cytology (FNAC) of sonographically abnormal neck nodes. Abnormal nodes were classified positive or negative for metastases based on the FNAC result. Clinical records were also reviewed for evidence of subsequent neck nodal metastases. Sonographically abnormal neck nodes were present in 14/233 (6.0%) patients; 7 were reactive and 7 were metastatic based on FNAC findings and clinical follow-up. Overall, 7/233 (3.0%) patients with stomach cancer had nodal metastases, although tumour stage was altered in only 2/233 (0.9%) patients; 57% of metastatic nodes were impalpable. Nodal metastases from gastric cardia tumours (6%) were more common than from the body (2%) or antrum (3%). Neck node metastases are uncommon in stomach cancer at presentation, are usually associated with extensive intra-abdominal metastatic spread, and adversely influence tumour staging in only a small minority of patients.