[Subtotal distal gastrectomy in antral carcinoma: following Billroth I or II?]

In 1976, the National Cancer Registry of the GDR registered 488 cases with radical distal gastrectomy for carcinoma of the gastric antrum. 78.7% of them were treated with Billroth-II and 21.3% with Billroth-I. There were no striking differences regarding the postoperative lethality with 15.1% and 14.4% respectively. With 31.2% and 29.0% the 5-year survival was similar for both surgical methods, too. These results indicate the possibility of performing the Billroth-I-gastrectomy in distal gastric cancer if the principles of surgical oncology are carefully observed.