[Stomach cancer: have changes in surgical strategy influenced the results? 20-year retrospective study]

The aim of this retrospective study was to compare a group of patients who underwent resection for gastric adenocarcinoma (cancer of cardia excluded) and to assess the influence of radical lymphadenectomy on postoperative mortality and morbidity and 5-year survival rate.

One hundred and six patients were operated on from 1975 to 1985 and 99 from 1986 to 1995 for gastric adenocarcinoma located in the distal portion of the stomach in 56% and 61% respectively and, undifferenciated in 56%. Gastric resection was a subtotal gastrectomy for cancers of the lower third and total gastrectomy for cancers of the middle and superior thirds. In the first group (1975-1985), a D1 lymphadenectomy was performed in all patients. In the second group (1986-1995) a D1.5 lymphadenectomy without systematic splenectomy and pancreatectomy was applied to 49 patients.

In the second group, the proportion of curative resection was higher (85% versus 75%) along with a higher rate of total gastrectomy (42% versus 17%). The postoperative mortality rate was 2% in the first group and 1% in the second group. The morbidity rate was 33% in the first group and 15% in the second group with a rate of anastomotic leak of 11% and 2% respectively. Among the second group, the morbidity rate was 20% after D1,5 lymphadenectomy versus 10% after D1 lymphadenectomy. The overall 5-year survival rate was 29% in the first group versus 38% in the second group. In this latter group, the overall 5-year survival was 32% after D1 lymphadenectomy and 46% after D1,5 (p = 0.038).

Radical lymphadenectomy without associated splenic or pancreatic resection in good general status patients may provide a better staging of resected gastric cancer without increase of the postoperative mortality. However, the influence of radical lymphadenectomy on long-term survival remains to be proven.