目的探讨阴性淋巴结数目对胃癌手术患者预后的影响。方法回顾性分析2006年1月-2009年9月有完整随访资料的203例胃癌手术患者的临床资料,分别对影响肿瘤复发及术后生存时间的预后因素进行单因素及多因素分析。结果 203例胃癌手术患者的总体复发率为34.98%,总体3年生存率为71.92%。单因素分析显示更少的阴性淋巴结数目(<10枚)是影响胃癌患者术后复发及生存时间的显著危险因素(P<0.01)。多因素分析显示肿瘤直径、肿瘤分化程度、肿瘤浸润深度、阳性淋巴结数目和阴性淋巴结数目是影响胃癌患者术后复发及生存时间的独立因素。分层分析显示III期胃癌患者中,更少的阴性淋巴结数目(<10枚)是术后总体生存时间的显著不利因素(P<0.01)。结论阴性淋巴结数目不足是影响胃癌手术患者预后的独立危险因素,在III期胃癌中提高阴性淋巴结数目的淋巴结清扫有利于胃癌手术患者的预后。 Objective To investigate the effect of the number of negative lymph nodes on the prognosis of gastric cancer patients. Methods The clinical data of 203 patients with gastric cancer who had complete follow-up data from January 2006 to September 2009 were retrospectively analyzed. The prognostic factors affecting tumor recurrence and postoperative survival time were analyzed respectively by single factor and multivariate analysis. Results The overall recurrence rate of 203 patients with gastric cancer was 34.98% and the overall 3-year survival rate was 71.92%. Univariate analysis showed that the number of fewer negative lymph nodes (<10) was a significant risk factor for the recurrence and survival of gastric cancer patients (P <0.01). Multivariate analysis showed that tumor diameter, tumor differentiation, tumor invasion depth, the number of positive lymph nodes and the number of negative lymph nodes were independent factors affecting the recurrence and survival time of gastric cancer patients. Stratified analysis showed that the fewer negative lymph nodes (<10) in patients with stage III gastric cancer were significant adverse factors of overall survival (P <0.01). Conclusions Insufficient number of negative lymph nodes is an independent risk factor affecting the prognosis of gastric cancer patients. Lymphadenectomy, which increases the number of negative lymph nodes in stage III gastric cancer, is beneficial to the prognosis of gastric cancer patients.