title: Laparoscopic gastrectomy for gastric adenocarcinoma. Long-term results.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The objective of our paper is to report on the long-term results of patients with gastric cancer treated by mini-invasive surgery with "intention-to-treat" laparoscopy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between June 1993 and January 2006, 130 patients comprising 94 men and 36 women with gastric adenocarcinoma were prospectively selected by two surgical teams in three hospitals based on a prior agreement (CHU Charleroi, Belgium, Centre Hospitalier de Luxembourg and Zumárraga Hospital, Spain). Patients with adenocarcinoma of the cardia were excluded. Mean age of patients was 68 years (range, 37-85 years).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Post-operative mortality within 60 days of operation was 6 patients; 109 patients were therefore properly followed up for an average of 49 months (range, 2-153 months).Average survival time for 10 non-resected patients was 4.5 months. Average survival rate for all 14 palliatively resected patients was 6.9 months. Actuarial 5-year survival rate for R0-type surgery was 35%. Global actuarial 5-year survival rate after resective surgery was 31%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Laparoscopic gastrectomy with any kind of lymphadenectomy is a major but safe operation with acceptable mortality and morbility rates in patients with advanced gastric cancer, usually in poor general condition. Laparoscopic gastrectomy for locally advanced cancers is equivalent to laparotomy as far as long-term oncological results are concerned.
authors.affiliation: Department of Digestive Surgery, Hospital de Zumárraga, Guipúzkoa, Spain. javibanez@euskalnet.net
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Ibáñez Aguirre
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Azagra
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Erro Azcárate
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Goergen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rico Selas
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moreno Elola-Olaso
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Clemares de Lama
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: de Simone
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Echenique Elizondo
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000601:surgery*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005743:Gastrectomy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome