ObjectiveTo explore the value on excision of subpyloric (No.6 group) lymph nodes of stomach by detection of metastatic rate and metastasis of lymph nodes of No.6 group and its subgroups. MethodsThe clinical data including complete information on No.6 group and its subgroups lymph nodes in 80 patients underwent gastrectomy and subpyloric lymph nodes dissection for gastric cancer from January 2006 to December 2009 were retrospectively analyzed. Referring to the right gastroepiploic vein, the No.6 lymph nodes were divided into three subgroups (No.6a, No.6b, and No.6c subgroup), and the relationship between the metastasis of No.6 lymph nodes and clinicopathologic features as well as the metastasis of No.7, No.8a， and No.9 lymph nodes were analyzed by logistic regression analysis. ResultsThe metastatic rate of No.6 group lymph nodes was 41.3% (33/80) and with 26.0% (108/415) of the resected lymph nodes involved. The metastatic rate of lymph nodes in No.6a subgroup (7.5%, 6/80) was significantly lower than that in No.6b (16.3%, 13/80) and No.6c subgroup (36.3%, 29/80), Plt;0.001. The metastasis of the resected lymph nodes in No.6a, No.6b, and No.6c subgroup was 25.0% (8/32), 17.6% (13/74), and 28.2% (87/309), respectively, and the difference was not significant (P=0.292). The metastasis of lymph nodes in No.6a subgroup was correlated to T stage (P=0.042) and N stage (P=0.006). The metastasis of lymph nodes in No.6b subgroup was correlated to N stage (P=0.002) and TNM stage (P=0.013). The metastasis of lymph nodes in No.6c subgroup was correlated to differentiation degree of tumor (P=0.008), T stage (P=0.003), N stage (P=0.000), and TNM stage (P=0.000). The logistic regression analysis showed that the metastasis of lymph nodes was correlated to the metastasis of No.8a lymph nodes (P=0.023) and N stage (P=0.002) in No.6 group, the metastasis of No.8a lymph nodes (P=0.018) in No.6a subgroup, N stage (P=0.005) in No.6b subgroup, and the metastasis of No.8a lymph nodes (P=0.016) and N stage (P=0.004) in No.6c subgroup. ConclusionAttentions should be paid to the complete dissection of subpyloric lymph nodes in gastric cancer surgery, especially for the lymph nodes of No.6a and No.6b subgroups.