Published online Mar 7, 2015. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v21.i9.2754
Peer-review started: September 5, 2014
First decision: October 14, 2014
Revised: October 31, 2014
Accepted: December 5, 2014
Article in press: December 8, 2014
Published online: March 7, 2015
Processing time: 185 Days and 17.4 Hours
AIM: To determine the optimal type of surgery for late-stage gastric cancer with hepatic metastases.
METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 49 gastrectomies for late-stage gastric cancer conducted in the First Hospital Affiliated to Henan University of Science and Technology between September 2003 and September 2010. All gastrectomy operations were divided into two groups: radical resection (gastrectomy and simultaneous resection of hepatic metastases, n = 31), and palliative resection (gastrectomy without hepatic resection, n = 18). All 49 patients had chemotherapy catheter implantation in the hepatic artery via the gastroduodenal artery. Postoperative complications and cumulative survival rates of the two groups were compared and analyzed.
RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the number of perioperative complications between the radical and palliative resection groups (6 and 3 cases, respectively, P > 0.05). The incidence of long-term complications including ileus (3 in the radical resection and 2 in the palliative resection groups) and anastomosis (2 cases in each group) was not significantly different (P > 0.05). The cumulative survival rate was significantly lower in the palliative resection group (P < 0.05).
CONCLUSION: Radical gastrectomy with resection of hepatic metastases and hepatoarterial catheter implantation is the recommended surgery for late-stage gastric cancer patients with hepatic metastases.
Core tip: Late-stage gastric cancer with liver metastases is difficult to treat surgically. We developed a new surgical procedure that included radical resection of gastric cancer and liver metastases, followed by implantation of a hepatoarterial catheter for postoperative infusion chemotherapy. Hepatoarterial infusion chemotherapy is a common procedure for liver cancer. Systemic and infusion chemotherapy resulted in a better cumulative survival rate in our study. We suggest that radical resection of gastric cancer and liver metastases with hepatoarterial catheter implantation is a better choice for late-stage gastric cancer.