Surgical treatment for late-appearing adrenal metastasis from gastric cancer: report of two cases

Adrenal metastasis following gastrectomy for gastric cancer is often encountered as part of advanced systemic dissemination, which is usually unresectable. Thus, there are very few published case reports describing metastasectomy for adrenal metastasis from gastric cancer. Herein we present our experience in treating two patients diagnosed and treated for adrenal metastasis 6 years following initial surgery for advanced gastric cancer (pT2bN1M0 and pT2bN0M0, respectively, according to the classification system set forth in the sixth edition of The TNM Classification of Malignant Tumours by the International Union against Cancer). They underwent successful en bloc R0 resections, followed by systemic chemotherapy with close postoperative follow-up for another recurrence, and have remained alive without recurrence for 1 year. These results suggest that active surgical treatment for resectable metastatic gastric cancer in the adrenal glands has an important role in prolonging survival in selected patients.