title: Long-term quality of life after laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy (LAG) is gaining acceptance for treating early gastric cancer. However, the long-term quality of life after LAG for gastric cancer is unknown. This study compared the long-term quality of life after LAG versus open distal gastrectomy (ODG) for early gastric cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study included 53 patients who underwent LAG and 37 patients who underwent ODG for treatment of early gastric cancer. Quality of life was evaluated on the basis of a 22-item questionnaire that addressed food tolerance and mental and physical conditions, scored on a scale of 1-3.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean follow-up periods after LAG and ODG were 99.3 and 97.0 months, respectively. Although the majority of patients who had undergone LAG were consuming a normal diet and had weight loss of less than 5 kg, all 22 items and the total score of the LAG group were comparable to those of the ODG group. However, the incidence of postoperative intestinal obstruction was significantly lower in the LAG group than in the ODG group (1% vs. 13%, p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LAG is equivalent to ODG with respect to long-term quality of life and is associated with a reduced incidence of postoperative intestinal obstruction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Oita University Faculty of Medicine, 1-1 Idaigaoka, Yufu, Oita, 879-5593, Japan. kyasuda@med.oita-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yasuda
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shiraishi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Etoh
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shiromizu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Inomata
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kitano
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005743:Gastrectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011788:Quality of Life; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D015431:Weight Loss