Recent advancement in metastasis of gastric cancer                 XU Hui-mian, XU Yan. Department of Surgical Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, China
Corresponding author: XU Hui-mian, E-mail:xuhuimian@126.com
Abstract    Metastases of gastric cancer includes lymph node, peritoneal and blood metastasis serially according to the incidence. Depth of tumors invasion, macroscopic type, tumors >4cm in diameter, poor-differentiated and the presence of lymphatic invasion are important determinants of the lymph node metastasis. Lymph node metastasis is the most important prognostic factor for early gastric cancer. The cytological detection of exfoliated cancer cells (ECCs) is the criterion for identifying risk of peritoneal metastasis. Macroscopic serosal classification can be used to be a predictor of peritoneal recurrence. Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and heparanase have been considered the valuable indicator to predict peritoneal metastasis. Gastric cancer with elevated type, well-differentiated, hepatoid adenocarcinoma and the presence of venous invasion are associated with liver metastasis. The characteristics of gastric cancer with lung or bone metastasis include the infiltrating carcinoma, poor-differentiated and the presence of venous invasion.