Outcome of laparoscopic gastrectomy with D1 plus lymph node dissection in gastric cancer patients postoperatively diagnosed with locally advanced disease or lymph node metastasis.

BACKGROUND

Some laparoscopic gastrectomy (LG) patients are postoperatively diagnosed with locally advanced disease or lymph node metastasis. Few reports have reviewed the outcomes or validity of LG in such patients.

METHODS

We retrospectively compared the outcomes of LG for gastric cancer patients postoperatively diagnosed with T3 (subserosal invasion) or higher or N1 (metastasis in 1-2 regional lymph nodes), or higher disease (n = 36), with open gastrectomy (OG) for c-stage I gastric cancer patients (n = 62).

RESULTS

D1 plus lymph node dissection was performed in all patients in the LG group. Blood loss was significantly lower in the LG group than in the OG group (P < 0.0010). The mean postoperative hospital stay duration was significantly shorter in the LG group than in the OG group (P = 0.0016). In the LG group, lymph node metastasis occurred in 1 patient, peritoneal dissemination in 2 patients, and liver metastasis in 1 patient. The 5-year survival rate did not significantly differ between the LG and OG groups (90.00 vs. 94.52 %; P = 0.6517).

CONCLUSIONS

Given the similarity in long-term outcomes between the LG and OG groups, LG is an appropriate indication for gastric cancer patients postoperatively diagnosed with locally advanced disease or lymph node metastasis.