R2/3 gastrectomy for gastric carcinoma: an audited experience of a consecutive series

A consecutive series of 27 patients with gastric neoplasm (24 carcinoma, 3 lymphoma) have been staged at laparotomy using the Japanese criteria for macroscopic staging. In 20 patients the radical R2/3 resection was considered potentially curative as defined by the Japanese Society for Research in Gastric Cancer. The operative mortality in this subgroup was 1/20 (5 per cent) and 3/27 (11 per cent) in the entire series. Locoregional recurrence was not observed in the potentially curative group. Follow-up has varied from 6 months to 7 years. An overall survival of 12/27 (48 per cent) has been observed to date. Death from cancer dissemination is maximal in the first and second year after resection. The R2/3 resection was considered non-curative in seven patients. In this subgroup there were two postoperative deaths and four have died of metastatic disease within 12 months of the resection. The only 5 year survivor in this group had a gastric lymphoma.