OBJECTIVE: The prognosis is poor when gastric carcinoma invades adjacent organs. We evaluated the outcome indicators in gastric carcinoma patients with mesocolon invasion. METHODS: We reviewed the hospital records of 169 gastric carcinoma patients with mesocolon invasion seen between 1986 and 2000 at Chonnam National University Hospital. RESULTS: The curative resection rate in gastric carcinoma patients with mesocolon invasion was 29.6% (50/169). Using Cox's proportional hazards regression

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... , curability was the only independent, statistically significant prognostic parameter (risk ratio, 1.48; 95% confidence interval, 0.90-2.46; p < 0.05). The 5-year survival rate was higher for patients who underwent curative resection (15.5%) than for those who underwent non-curative resection (2.6%; p < 0.001). The 5-year survival rate was higher for patients who underwent resection (7.3%) than for those who did not (bypass and exploration groups, 5.1% and 0%, respectively; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The results showed improved survival of gastric carcinoma patients with mesocolon invasion who underwent curative resection compared to those who did not. Improving the prognosis for patients with mesocolon invasion requires curative resection. [Asian J Surg 2008;31(4):179-84]