title: Extensive versus limited lymph node dissection for gastric cancer: a comparative study of 320 patients.
abstract: To compare extensive with limited lymph node dissection in the surgical treatment of gastric cancer, 320 patients undergoing gastric resection during 1981-1990 were divided into two groups. Although patients undergoing extended lymphadenectomy (n = 157) had a longer operating time (P = 0.0001) and a greater intraoperative blood transfusion requirement (P = 0.009) than those receiving limited dissection (n = 163), the incidence of postoperative complications (22.3 versus 28.2 per cent, P = 0.13) and the hospital mortality rate (3.8 versus 7.4 per cent, P = 0.12) were similar in the two groups. The 5-year survival rate after curative resection (117 and 121 patients after extensive and limited lymph node dissection respectively) was 65.4 versus 50.1 per cent (P = 0.01): 85.9 versus 82.2 per cent for stage I disease (P = 0.60), 66.1 versus 57.8 per cent for stage II (P = 0.82) and 48.7 versus 29.8 per cent for stage III (P = 0.02). Multivariate analysis using the Cox model showed that the extent of lymphadenectomy was an independent prognostic factor for survival (P = 0.01). The results support the value of extensive lymph node dissection in the surgical treatment of gastric carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Clinica Chirurgica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pacelli
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Doglietto
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bellantone
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Alfieri
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sgadari
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Crucitti
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000601:surgery; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005743:Gastrectomy; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors