Lymphadenectomy for Gastric Cancer.

Current treatment for gastric cancer includes a multidisciplinary approach of systemic therapy and surgery. While retrospective, prospective, and randomized trials have demonstrated conflicting results on the need for extended lymphadenectomy, current guidelines dictate a recommendation for the retrieval of at least 16 lymph nodes to accurately stage patients. The "D1" lymph nodes along the major gastric and epiploic vessels may provide adequate lymph node harvest, though "D2" lymphadenectomy along the celiac axis and its branches may be necessary. Performing a distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy to maximize the D2 nodal harvest is not necessary and leads to increased morbidity.