Rationale for gastrectomy with D2 lymphadenectomy in the treatment of gastric cancer.
BACKGROUND
In the surgical management of gastric cancer, D2 lymphadenectomy aims to reduce the incidence of locoregional relapse, and to increase patient survival.


METHODS
A prospective study was made of 126 consecutive patients operated upon for gastric cancer, with gastrectomy and D2 lymphadenectomy. Hospital morbidity and mortality, relapses, and patient survival after 5 years were studied.


RESULTS
The overall hospital mortality rate was 1.6%, with a mortality of 2.1% in the patients submitted to total gastrectomy. The overall morbidity rate was 29.4%. Dehiscence of the esophagojejunal anastomosis was recorded in 1.6%. The median follow-up was 73.6 months. Relapses were observed in 37% of the patients (76% in the first 2 years). Overall actuarial survival after 5 years was 52.3%, and 5-year survival in the patients with R0 resection with positive N2 lymph nodes according to the Japanese classification was 26.5%.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results show that D2 lymphadenectomy can be performed with low morbidity-mortality, and a 5-year survival of more than 50%. The procedure offers benefit in terms of survival for a certain percentage of patients with positive level N2 lymph nodes.
Díaz de Liaño
Alvaro
A
Esophagogastric Unit, General and Digestive Surgery Department, Hospital Virgen del Camino, c/o Pintor Maeztu 2, 8C, 31008 Pamplona, Navarra, Spain.
Yarnoz
Concepción
C
Aguilar
Rubén
R
Artieda
Cristina
C
Ortiz
Héctor
H
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005743:Gastrectomy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008297:Male; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*