Hideki Sunagawa

Long-term Outcomes of Laparoscopic Versus Open Surgery for Clinical Stage I Gastric Cancer: The LOC-1 Study.

Background: Clinical trials comparing laparoscopic gastrectomy (LG) versus traditional open gastrectomy (OG) have been planned, their surgical outcomes reported but their oncologic outcomes are still pending. Consequently, we have conducted this large-scale historical cohort study to provide relevant information rapidly to guide our current practice. Methods: Through a consensus meeting involving surgeons, biostatisticians, and epidemiologists, 30 variables of preoperative information possibly influencing surgeons’ choice between LG versus OG and potentially associating with outcomes were identified to enable rigorous estimation of propensity scores. A total of 4235 consecutive patients who underwent gastrectomy for gastric adenocarcinoma were identified and their relevant data were gathered from the participating hospitals. After propensity score matching, 1848 patients (924 each for LG and OG) were selected for comparison of long-term outcomes. Results: In the propensity-matched population, the 5-year overall survival was 96.3% [95% confidence interval (CI) 95.0–97.6] in the OG as compared with 97.1% (95% CI, 95.9–98.3) in LG. The number of all-cause death was 33/924 in the OG and 24/924 in the LG through the entire period, and the hazard ratio (LG/OG) for overall death was 0.75 (95% CI, 0.44–1.27; P = 0.290). The 3-year recurrence-free survival was 97.4% (95% CI, 96.4–98.5) in the OG and 97.7% (95% CI, 96.5–98.8) in the LG. The number of recurrence was 22/924 in the OG and 21/924 in the LG through the entire period, and the hazard ratio was 1.01 (95% CI, 0.55–1.84; P = 0.981). Conclusions: This observational study adjusted for all-known confounding factors seems to provide strong enough evidence to suggest that LG is oncologically comparable to OG for gastric cancer.

Robotic gastrectomy for gastric cancer

The number of robotic gastrectomy (RG) performed per year has been increasing, particularly in East Asia where the incidence of gastric cancer is high and approximately half of the cases are diagnosed as early gastric cancer. With articulated devices of RG, surgeons are able to perform every procedure more meticulously, which can result in less bleeding and damage to organs. There are many single arm and comparative studies, and these study showed similar trends, which included relatively less estimated blood loss and longer operation time following RG than laparoscopic gastrectomy (LG), equivalent number of harvested lymph nodes and similar length of postoperative hospital stay between RG and LG. Considering the results of these retrospective comparative studies, RG seems to be as feasible as LG in terms of early surgical outcomes. However, medical expense of RG is approximately twice as much as that of LG. Lack of solid evidence in terms of long-term outcomes is another problem. Considering the higher medical expenses associated with RG, its superiority in terms of long-term survival outcomes needs to be confirmed in the future for it to be accepted more widely.

Five-year Survival Associated with Stage I Gastric Cancer after Resection of Early Recurrence at Nodal Station No. 14v: a Case Report

The role of nodal station No. 14v (along the superior mesenteric vein) in lymphadenectomy for distal gastric cancer remains elusive. A 73-year-old woman underwent endoscopic submucosal dissection for gastric cancer, and was referred to our division for additional surgery because of pathologically non-curative resection. A laparoscopic distal gastrectomy with D1+ dissection was performed, with a final diagnosis of pT1bN1M0, Stage IB (2 nodal metastases to No. 6). Four months post-surgery, abdominal computed tomography revealed a 14-mm solitary nodule along the superior mesenteric vein. The lesion was excised and pathologically identified as a lymph node metastasis. Adjuvant chemotherapy with tegafur-gimeracil-oteracil potassium (S-1) was administered for the metastasis. Presently the patient survives without recurrence, 5.5 years after the second operation. Our findings suggest that there is lymphatic flow from the No. 6 to the No. 14v nodal station. Some patients with a No. 6 metastasis may benefit from a No. 14v lymphadenectomy, even in early-staged disease.

Three-dimensional computed tomography simulation for laparoscopic lymph node dissection in the treatment of proximal gastric cancer

Application of laparoscopic surgery (LS) has expanded worldwide in the various fields due to the potential advantage of being less invasive than open surgery; however difficulty in recognizing positional relationship of the organs is one of the disadvantages of this kind of surgery. In order to compensate this drawback, preoperative three-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) simulation is regarded as promising. In gastric cancer surgery, 3D-CT simulation seems particularly effective in the splenic hilar dissection, because this region is associated with remarkable anatomical variation with complexity. As effects from the use of 3D-CT simulation, reduction of blood loss or complication rate, shortening of operation time and enhancement of surgical quality are expected. In this article, we introduce our methodological protocol of 3D-CT simulation in gastric cancer surgery with clinical case examples, and also additionally review previous publications reporting this imaging technology.

Predictive factors of residual tumor for the patients with non-curative resection after endoscopic submucosal dissection for early gastric cancer.

32Background: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is commonly performed for the patients who diagnosed with early gastric cancer. Although additional gastrectomy is recommended for the patients with non-curative ESD in the points of potential risk of residual tumor, many cases have neither lymph node (LN) metastasis nor local residual tumor in surgical specimens. Clinically, it can be difficult to decide whether to perform additional surgery according to patients’ conditions. This study aimed to analyze the clinicopathological features of patients who underwent additional gastrectomy as well as to detect the predictive factors for residual tumor after non-curative ESD. Methods: The patients who underwent additional gastrectomy after non-curative ESD in our institution from January 2005 to August 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. The incidence rates of LN metastasis or local residual tumor were calculated, and furthermore the predictive factors for these outcomes were estimated. Results: 211 patients ...

The prognostic factors for advanced gastric cancer with para-aortic nodal involvement after extended gastrectomy.

158Background: The prognosis of patients with advanced gastric cancer with para-aortic lymph node (PAN) involvement is poor. We retrospectively investigated the prognostic factors for advanced gastric cancer with PAN involvement. Methods: The patients who underwent radical gastrectomy with PAN dissection for advanced gastric cancer between 1992 and 2014 in our institution included in this study. The clinicopathological features and prognostic factors of the patients who identified pathologically PAN involvement after curative gastrectomy were analyzed. Results: In this period, a total of 704 patients underwent gastrectomy with PAN dissection and 65 patients were identified as pathologically PAN positive and eligible for this study. Total gastrectomy and combined resection of other organs were performed for 48 patients and 51 patients, respectively. Complete PAN dissection (a2/b1) was performed for 32 patients. Postoperative abdominal complication was 20% with no hospital deaths. The 3 year and the 5 year ...