Biological characteristics and the prognosis for subjects with node-negative advanced gastric cancer have been given little attention in related literature. We analyzed data on 112 patients with serosally invasive gastric cancer who were lymph node metastasis-negative; all had been surgically treated in the Department of Surgery II, Kyushu University Hospital, between 1970 and 1992. Recurrences and relation to the growth potential of the tumor and local immune response were examined. Thirty patients died with a recurrence of the gastric cancer, and in these patients, the tumor was larger, the whole stomach was more frequently involved and infiltrative growth was more common, compared to findings in patients who were recurrence-free. Peritoneal recurrence was evident in half the number of patients and the 5-year survival rate was 74. 5%. Tumor growth potential was evaluated, based on the level of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) of the primary tumor and on dendritic cell infiltration into the tumor, determined as a level of local immune function of the host. Higher growth potential and lower immune levels were more frequent in patients with recurrences. Multivariate analysis revealed that tumor size and PCNA labeling index were significant prognostic factors for node-negative gastric cancers. In a subset of advanced gastric cancers, there was no apparent distinct lymph node metastasis and the prognosis was better. However, cancer cells with a higher growth potential and a lower immune response in the host can biologically amplify and mainly infiltrate the gastric wall, extend to the serosa and disseminate transserosally into the peritoneum.