Complete omentectomy and extensive lymphadenectomy with gastrectomy improves the survival of gastric cancer patients with metastases in the adjacent peritoneum.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The omentum is the site where peritoneal metastases occur most frequently. It has not been shown whether complete resection of the omenta during gastrectomy improves the survival of gastric cancer patients with macroscopic peritoneal metastases.

METHODOLOGY

We retrospectively analyzed 126 patients who underwent gastrectomies for gastric cancer with peritoneal metastases but without hematogenous metastases. The 126 patients were stratified according to their grade of peritoneal metastases into three groups: the P1 patients (patients with peritoneal metastases in the adjacent peritoneum but not in the distant peritoneum); the P2 patients (patients with a few peritoneal metastases in the distant peritoneum); and the P3 patients (patients with many metastases in the distant peritoneum). In each group, the survival and clinicopathological characteristics were compared between patients treated by complete resection of the greater omentum and the lesser omentum plus extensive lymphadenectomy during gastrectomy, versus patients treated by incomplete resection of the omenta and non-extensive lymphadenectomy during gastrectomy.

RESULTS

Complete omentectomy and extensive lymphadenectomy during gastrectomy improved survival significantly only in the P1 patients. Other clinicopathological characteristics did not differ between them.

CONCLUSION

Complete omentectomy and extensive lymphadenectomy is recommended in patients with peritoneal metastases in the adjacent peritoneum but not in the distant peritoneum.