[Primary cancer of the gastric stump. Apropos of 8 cases].

The authors review their experience of 8 cases of primary carcinoma of the gastric stump during the period 1989-1992. During the same period, 164 gastric cancers were treated in the same department. Mean duration between primary gastric resection and diagnosis of gastric stump carcinoma was 30 years (6 to 42 years). All patients underwent a Billroth II primary gastric resection. Only 4 patients underwent radical surgical resection of their gastric stump carcinoma; 2 patients underwent only explorative laparotomy for very advanced and unresectable gastric stump carcinoma; 2 patients were inoperable because of their general status. This series of 8 cases of gastric stump carcinoma emphases the importance of endoscopic investigations during follow-up of patients with gastric resection, in order to diagnose and treat resectable gastric stump carcinoma.