Gastric resection. A cause of high frequency of gastric carcinoma

On 10,630 autopsies, 480 cases with a gastric resection for benign conditions, performed more than 5 years previously, were found. Pathologic findings revealed 31 (6.5%) cases of gastric stump carcinoma. On the basis of clinical and pathologic data, the authors could demonstrate that gastric carcinoma occurs with significantly higher frequency in resected patients than in unresected ones. Patients having resection before age 45 years are at increased risk (2.46) in developing gastric stump carcinoma, while patients undergoing operation at age 45 years or later are not (0.65). The distribution of gastric carcinoma according to age classes at death in resected and unresected patients is very similar, with an increasing frequency after age 55 years in both groups.