Early cancer of the gastric remnant.

Early carcinoma of the gastric remnant was diagnosed in 19 patients between January 1976 and January 1986. In all patients early cancer was suspected at endoscopy and confirmed by biopsy and histology. The main reason for endoscopic examination was diffuse epigastric pain suggestive of stump gastritis. The surgical procedure was stump gastrectomy. Two of the 19 patients were not operated on because of advanced age. In contrast with the poor prognosis of patients with cancers of the gastric remnant of tumour stages T2 to T4 according to the TNM-classification regardless of their NM-stage, patients with tumour stage T1N0 and T1N1 have a good prognosis.