The significance of gastric lymph-vessels in the surgical treatment of cancer of the stomach.

Authors give an account of the classification of gastric lymph-circulation and lymph nodes suggested by the Japanese Research Society for Gastric Cancer. The importance of lymphatic structures in the accurate determination of oncological stages of gastric cancer and that of a radical lymphadenectomy during resection is emphasized. Total or subtotal removal of the stomach should be completed with the removal of primary, secondary and tertiary lymph node groups. In cases of stages II-IV, the 5-year survival rate is increased by 30-50% without an increase of postoperative lethality and complications. The operation time is prolonged by 40-60 min if resection is combined with a lymphadenectomy.