title: Intraoperative sentinel lymph node mapping guides laparoscopic-assisted distal gastrectomy for distal gastric cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this retrospective study is to explore the effects of sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping guided laparoscopic-assisted distal gastrectomy (LADG) for distal gastric cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred patients were enrolled in this study. One hundred and one patients undergoing SLN guided LADG were designated as the SLN group. Ninety-nine patients having conventional LADG with D1 or D2 lymph node dissection were designated as the control group. Intraoperative and postoperative indicators such as the number of lymph nodes dissected, intraoperative and postoperative conditions, flow cytometry analysis of T lymphocyte subsets and natural killer (NK) cells, survival rates, recurrence rates and postoperative complications were investigated between these two groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The number of lymph nodes dissected in the SLN group was significantly lesser than that in the control group. Furthermore, in the SLN group, the patients achieved better immunization status, improved intraoperative and postoperative conditions and decreased postoperative complications. There were no significant differences were found in the positive lymph nodes detected, the distance between proximal and distal cutting edge, postoperative survival or recurrence rates.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SLN guided LADG for gastric cancer is a safe and effective method and could achieve an equal clinical effect as traditional laparoscopic D1 or D2 radical operation with less operation trauma and better recovery.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Yishui Central Hospital Linyi 276400, Shandong, P. R. China ; Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University Jinan 250012, Shandong, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Naiqing
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University Jinan 250012, Shandong, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Zhengchuan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University Jinan 250012, Shandong, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University Jinan 250012, Shandong, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Cheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University Jinan 250012, Shandong, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Xueqing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Yishui Central Hospital Linyi 276400, Shandong, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Shuxiang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University Jinan 250012, Shandong, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Obo
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Shinichi
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University Jinan 250012, Shandong, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shahbaz
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Yishui Central Hospital Linyi 276400, Shandong, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Qinli
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University Jinan 250012, Shandong, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Niu
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jun
keywords: Sentinel lymph node mapping; gastric cancer; laparoscopic-assisted distal gastrectomy