[Value of laparoscopic ultrasound for staging of gastrointestinal tumors].

BACKGROUND

The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of laparoscopic ultrasound on the staging of gastrointestinal tumors prospectively.

METHODS

Between 1993 and 2000 staging laparoscopy was performed on 668 patients with various neoplasms. Laparoscopy provided adequate information regarding resectability in 366 patients. Laparoscopic ultrasonography was performed in 302 patients (45%) using an intraoperative ultrasound unit (B & K) and a semiflexible ultrasound probe (5-7.5 MHz). The results of staging laparoscopy were compared to the preoperative staging and histopathology.

RESULTS

Compared to preoperative staging laparoscopic ultrasound provided additional information of therapeutic relevance in 46 of 302 cases (15%). In a group of 384 patients with tumors of the upper gastrointestinal tract, laparoscopic ultrasound was performed in 186 cases and showed occult liver metastases, M1-lymph nodes, or nonresectable disease in 26 patients. Overall, this technique improved the staging of esophageal, gastric and pancreatic cancer in 12%, 3%, and 12% of the patients, respectively. Laparoscopic ultrasound proved to be most useful in esophageal and pancreatic cancer with a rate of 52% and 20% information additional to laparoscopy. The relative contribution of laparoscopic ultrasound to the staging of gastric cancer was only 10%.

CONCLUSION

Laparoscopic ultrasound improves the diagnostic accuracy of staging laparoscopy. However, routine use of this technique is only justified, if neoadjuvant therapy--particularly in controlled trials--is considered in patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer.