Advances, breakthroughs, and challenges in gastric cancer surgery

Gastric cancer (GC) remains a substantial health burden worldwide, ranking fifth in incidence and third in mortality among all cancer types. Surgeons have persistently attempted to address this growing burden through surgical management of GC encompassing various aspects of surgery, including advances in surgical techniques and tools for minimally invasive surgery, novel technology for real-time image-guided surgery, and function-preserving and oncometabolic surgeries, aimed at improving patients' quality of life. The current perspective discusses the five most critical dimensions of the recent technical improvements and conceptual changes in GC surgery. We recommend further exploration of long-term benefits of these advancements, identification of breakthrough solutions to address current challenges, and delivery of the best quality of care.