title: Oncologic outcomes of laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In both advanced and early gastric cancer with preoperatively suspected lymph node metastasis, extended lymph node dissection is needed to achieve R0. Since extended lymph node dissection is difficult to perform laparoscopically, few reports have reported long-term outcomes in large numbers of patients. The purpose of this study was to investigate oncologic outcomes after laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy (LADG) with extended lymph node dissection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between April 2004 and March 2010, LADG with extended lymph node dissection was performed at our hospital for 880 patients diagnosed with T1N0-1 or T2N0 (N is classified by Japanese topographic classification) gastric cancer in the lower or middle body of the stomach. D2 lymph node dissection was performed for stage IB (T1N1, T2N0) cancers. Modified D2 lymph node dissection was performed for stage IA (T1N0). Overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), and form of tumor recurrence at 4 years were investigated retrospectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median follow-up was 42 months. The 4-year OS was 98.2 % for all patients. By stage, OS/DFS were 99.0/99.0 % in stage IA patients, 95.9/95.9 % in stage IB, 92.6/92.0 % in stage IIA, and 90.0/92.9 % in stage IIB. A total of 11 patients died, including 4 deaths from recurrence (liver metastasis, n = 1; peritoneal dissemination, n = 2; distant lymph node and bone metastases, n = 1). There is 1 patient is alive with recurrence (liver). Mean time until recurrence was 14 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Oncologic outcomes were good in patients with T1N0-1 and T2N0 gastric cancer who underwent LADG with extended lymph node dissection. This approach appears effective for treating T1N0-1 and T2N0 gastric cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Cancer Institute Hospital, Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Tetsu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fukunaga
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hiki
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kubota
authors.forename: Souya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nunobe
authors.forename: Masanori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tokunaga
authors.forename: Kyoko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nohara
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sano
authors.forename: Toshiharu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005743:Gastrectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary*; D008197:Lymph Node Excision / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D061646:Operative Time; D010534:Peritoneal Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*