ObjectiveTo investigate the risk factors of hepatoduodenal lymph node (HDLN) metastasis in patients with advanced gastric cancer and its effect on prognosis. MethodsClinical datas of patients with advanced gastric cancer who underwent D2 radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer and HDLN dissection between Jan 2011 and Nov 2013 in department of general surgery of Ankang Central Hospital were retrospectively reviewed. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the independent risk factors associated with HDLN metastasis. Survival curves were performed to compare the survival rate of patients with or without HDLN metastasis and of patients with HDLN metastasis or with other lymph node metastasis. A Cox proportional hazards model was used for the multivariate analysis of risk factors for death in advanced gastric cancer. ResultsThe incidence of HDLN metastasis was 10.7% in patients with advanced gastric cancer. Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that the middle or lower stomach cancer (OR=6.014, P=0.002) and stage T3 or T4 (OR=5.133, P=0.021) were independent risk factors for HDLN metastasis. The 2-year overall survival (OS) rate was 36.7% in patients with HDLN metastasis. It was lower in patients with HDLN metastasis compared with those without (P=0.002). Limited to node-positive patients, patients with HDLN metastasis demonstrated decreased 2-year OS rate compared with node-positive patients without HDLN metastasis (P=0.027). Cox proportional hazard analysis identified poorly differentiated or undifferentiated cancer, stage of T3 or T4, and HDLN metastasis were independent poor prognostic factors in the patients with advanced gastric cancer (P < 0.05). ConclusionsCancer located in the middle or lower stomach, and stage T3 or T4 were independent risk factors for HDLN metastasis in patients with advanced gastric cancer. HDLN metastasis demonstrated a poor prognosis.