title: Robot-assisted laparoscopic (RAL) surgery for gastric cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This literature review focuses on the potential benefits and eventual limitations of robotic surgery with respect to the traditional minimally invasive laparoscopic surgical technique for gastric cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  A literature survey was performed using specific search phrases in PubMed. Series including < 10 cases and series including only an 'open group' of patients in comparison with the 'robotic group' were excluded. Characteristics such as patient demographics, perioperative outcomes and oncological results were analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  According to the analysis of 12 series, robotic gastric surgery has been shown to be a safe and feasible method. However, a considerable number of studies are composed of early-stage gastric cancer cases and there seems to be a lack of randomized controlled studies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Large prospective randomized studies are still required in order to demonstrate the exact benefits of robotic surgery and its effects on survival in gastric cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, School of Medicine, Istanbul Medeniyet University, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Orhan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Alimoglu
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Atak
authors.forename: Tunc
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Eren
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D065287:Robotic Surgical Procedures; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: gastric cancer; laparoscopic surgery; robotic surgery