Laparoscopic gastrectomy for gastric cancer with peritoneal dissemination after induction chemotherapy

Gastric cancer with peritoneal dissemination may be diagnosed as unresectable. More recently, as a result of progress in chemotherapy, some patients with peritoneal dissemination have exhibited extended survival. We report on our experience with three patients in whom induction chemotherapy allowed for totally laparoscopic total gastrectomy (TLTG). All three patients were diagnosed as having advanced gastric cancer with peritoneal dissemination using staging laparoscopy. As induction chemotherapy, S-1 combined with cisplatin was administered to two patients and trastuzumab plus capecitabine combined with cisplatin to one patient. TLTG was performed in all patients and there were no postoperative complications. Adjuvant chemotherapy was initiated within 3 weeks after surgery in all three patients. Laparoscopic gastrectomy undertaken after induction chemotherapy was found to be effective and safe; this treatment has the potential to achieve good treatment outcomes in patients with stage IV gastric cancer.