INTRODUCTION: Controversy exists as to whether patients with stage IV gastric cancer should undergo surgical resection. We examined the association of gastrectomy with survival in this population.

METHODS: Stage IV gastric cancer diagnoses were identified using the SEER database (1988-2005). Analyses examined three subgroups divided on the basis of whether cancer-directed surgery was recommended and performed. Univariate analyses included chi-square and Kaplan-Meier survival analyses. Cox proportional hazards modeling was performed to assess independent determinants of survival.

RESULTS: Of 66,751 identified gastric cancer patients, 23,830 had stage IV disease. Resected patients had a significant survival advantage; survival outcomes of patients who had been recommended for, but had not undergone, surgery were identical to that of patients who had not been recommended (3 months vs. 9 months for resected, p < 0.0001). Furthermore, resection status was the most significant independent predictor of increased risk of death (hazard ratios 2.0 for non-cancer-directed surgery groups).

CONCLUSIONS: Patients with stage IV gastric cancer who undergo resection, a highly selected population, have significantly greater survival than unresected patients, including those who were recommended for, but did not receive, resection. Stage IV gastric cancer patients who are reasonable operative candidates should be offered resection.