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