Extended surgery--left upper abdominal exenteration plus Appleby's method--for type 4 gastric carcinoma

The prognosis after surgical treatment for type 4 gastric cancer, including linitis plastica, remains poor. The most frequent recurrence mode is retroperitoneal involvement. To remove the tumor and microinvasion surrounding the stomach, extended surgery, left upper abdominal exenteration plus the Appleby's method (LUAE + Apl), has been performed for type 4 cancers since 1983.

A total of 54 patients with type 4 cancer underwent extended surgery (LUAE + Apl) over the past 11 years. In the LUAE + Apl surgical procedure, the whole stomach, pancreas body and tail, spleen, gallbladder, transverse colon, and left adrenal were removed en bloc. The results of this treatment are reported and the most beneficial application of this procedure (group A) is evaluated and compared with findings in similar patients who underwent common surgery between 1973 and 1983 (group B).

As postoperative complications, pancreatic fistula (30%; control 19%), liver dysfunction (15%; 14%), anastomosis failure (6%; 9%), and infection (4%; 1%) were observed (NS). In group A, one patient died of liver dysfunction and another of multiple organ failure due to major pancreatic fistula. In stage III, the 5-year survival rate of group A (40%) was better than that of group B (20%; p < 0.05). In stage IV, the 5-year survival rate of group A (5%; 3% in group B) was not improved.

LUAE + Apl improved the survival of patients with scirrhous cancer in stage III, but it was not effective for those in stage IV. To improve the survival of patients in stage IV, a new concept of treatment and supportive therapy needs to be used.