title: Evaluation of laparoscopic total gastrectomy for advanced gastric cancer: results of a comparison with laparoscopic distal gastrectomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To validate the efficacy and safety of laparoscopic total gastrectomy (LTG) for advanced gastric cancer (AGC).
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (LDG) in the treatment of patients with local AGC is becoming increasingly popular, and there have been several multicenter randomized controlled trials focused on this treatment. However, few reports on the procedure of LTG for AGC exist.
  
  
  METHODS
  The data of 976 patients who underwent LTG for AGC were retrieved from a prospectively constructed database of 2170 patients who underwent laparoscopic gastrectomy between 2007 and 2013. Surgical outcomes of LTG were investigated and compared with those of patients who underwent LDG.
  
  
  RESULTS
  LTG was associated with significantly longer operation time, number of dissected lymph nodes, and time of resume soft diet compared with the LDG group. According to Clavien-Dindo classification, the morbidity and mortality rates of the LTG group were comparable to those of the LDG group. Multivariate analyses revealed that elderly patients, more comorbidities, and longer operation time were the significant independent risk factors for determining postoperative complications. The difference in overall survival rates between the two groups was statistically significant. However, a comparative analysis of overall survival showed no statistical significance for any of the stages of cancer between the LTG and LDG groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study findings suggest that LTG is an oncologically safe procedure for AGC yields comparable surgical outcomes. A well-designed phase III trial can be carried out to provide valuable evidence for the oncologic safety of LTG for the treatment of AGC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastric Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, No. 29 Xinquan Road, Fuzhou, 350001, Fujian Province, China.
authors.forename: Jian-Xian
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastric Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, No. 29 Xinquan Road, Fuzhou, 350001, Fujian Province, China. hcmlr2002@163.com.
authors.forename: Chang-Ming
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastric Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, No. 29 Xinquan Road, Fuzhou, 350001, Fujian Province, China.
authors.forename: Chao-Hui
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastric Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, No. 29 Xinquan Road, Fuzhou, 350001, Fujian Province, China.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastric Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, No. 29 Xinquan Road, Fuzhou, 350001, Fujian Province, China.
authors.forename: Jian-Wei
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastric Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, No. 29 Xinquan Road, Fuzhou, 350001, Fujian Province, China.
authors.forename: Jia-Bin
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastric Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, No. 29 Xinquan Road, Fuzhou, 350001, Fujian Province, China.
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jun
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastric Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, No. 29 Xinquan Road, Fuzhou, 350001, Fujian Province, China.
authors.forename: Qi-Yue
authors.initials: QY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastric Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, No. 29 Xinquan Road, Fuzhou, 350001, Fujian Province, China.
authors.forename: Mi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastric Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, No. 29 Xinquan Road, Fuzhou, 350001, Fujian Province, China.
authors.forename: Ruhong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D005743:Gastrectomy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008197:Lymph Node Excision / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D061646:Operative Time; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Clavien–Dindo classification; Laparoscopic total gastrectomy; Stomach neoplasm; Surgical outcomes