Critical evaluation of prophylactic splenectomy in total gastrectomy for the stomach cancer

In gastric cancer surgery, an extended radical operation is commonly performed, and in cases of total gastrectomy, there is a tendency to perform splenectomy at the same time. However, some surgeons have reservations regarding this treatment in connection with the possible preservation of the host resistance. The question arises, is it reasonable to accept, by simple analogy with prophylactic lymphadenectomy the concept of the prophylactic splenectomy? The present study was designed to cast light on this problem. In order to examine the value of prophylactic splenectomy in gastric cancer surgery, a comparable patient group was followed up, and it was found that the non-splenectomized group showed a significantly better late survival rate than the splenectomized group (P less than 0.005), the 4-year survival rate being 63% in the former group and 36% in the latter group. Although these results do not necessarily contraindicate combined splenectomy, it seems desirable to reappraise the value of prophylactic splenectomy in cases having no metastasis in the splenic hilar and adjacent lymph nodes.