Long-term outcomes of laparoscopic gastrectomy for gastric cancer

Laparoscopic gastrectomy (LG) has been established as a procedure for the treatment of gastric cancer. However, there have been few reports on the long-term outcomes of LG for gastric cancer. The aim of this study is to investigate the long-term outcomes of LG for gastric cancer.

A total of 278 consecutive patients who underwent LG in our unit between January 1999 and December 2006 were included in this study. Survival, recurrence, and late gastrointestinal complications were analyzed.

The median follow-up period was 73.7 mo (6-165 mo). Distal gastrectomy was performed in 229 patients, total gastrectomy in 23 patients, proximal gastrectomy in 15 patients, and pylorus-preserving gastrectomy in 11 patients. Five-year overall and disease-specific survival rates were 91% and 99% for stage IA, 75% and 91% for stage IB, 72% and 88% for stage II, and 40% and 50% for stage III, respectively. Recurrences were detected in 15 (5.4%) patients, including 5 distant lymph node, 5 peritoneal, 4 hematogenous, and 1 locoregional recurrences. Bowel obstruction occurred in 4 (1.4%) patients, and gallstones developed in 37 (15%) patients.

This follow-up investigation suggested that LG for gastric cancer is a feasible procedure from the standpoint of long-term oncological outcome and postoperative complications.