Published online Nov 21, 2020. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v26.i43.6837
Peer-review started: June 29, 2020
First decision: August 8, 2020
Revised: August 21, 2020
Accepted: September 18, 2020
Article in press: September 18, 2020
Published online: November 21, 2020
Processing time: 143 Days and 18.7 Hours
Laparoscopic assisted total gastrectomy (LaTG) is associated with reduced nutritional status, and the procedure is not easily carried out without extensive expertise. A small remnant stomach after near-total gastrectomy confers no significant nutritional benefits over total gastrectomy. In this study, we developed a modified laparoscopic subtotal gastrectomy procedure, termed laparoscopic-assisted tailored subtotal gastrectomy (LaTSG).
To evaluate the feasibility and nutritional impact of LaTSG compared to those of LaTG in patients with advanced middle-third gastric cancer (GC).
We retrospectively analyzed surgical and oncological outcomes and postoperative nutritional status in 92 consecutive patients with middle-third GC who underwent radical laparoscopic gastrectomy at Department of Pancreatic Stomach Surgery, National Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, and Peking Union Medical College between 2013 and 2017. Of these 92 patients, 47 underwent LaTSG (LaTSG group), and the remaining underwent LaTG (LaTG group).
Operation time (210 ± 49.8 min vs 208 ± 50.0 min, P > 0.05) and intraoperative blood loss (152.3 ± 166.1 mL vs 188.9 ± 167.8 mL, P > 0.05) were similar between the groups. The incidence of postoperative morbidities was lower in the LaTSG group than in the LaTG group (4.2% vs 17.8%, P < 0.05). Postoperatively, nutritional indices did not significantly differ, until postoperative 12 mo. Albumin, prealbumin, total protein, hemoglobin levels, and red blood cell counts were significantly higher in the LaTSG group than in the LaTG group (P < 0.05). No significant differences in Fe or C-reaction protein levels were found between the two groups. Endoscopic examination demonstrated that reflux oesophagitis was more common in the LaTG group (0% vs 11.1%, P < 0.05). Kaplan–Meier analysis showed a significant improvement in the overall survival (OS) and disease free survival (DFS) in the LaTSG group. Multivariate analysis showed that LaTSG was an independent prognostic factor for OS (P = 0.048) but not for DFS (P = 0.054). Subgroup analysis showed that compared to LaTG, LaTSG improved the survival of patients with stage III cancers, but not for other stages.
For advanced GC involving the middle third stomach, LaTSG can be a good option with reduced morbidity and favorable nutritional status and oncological outcomes.
Core Tip: We developed a modified the laparoscopic subtotal gastrectomy procedure termed laparoscopic-assisted tailored subtotal gastrectomy (LaTSG) to treat advanced middle-third gastric cancer. Compared with laparoscopic assisted total gastrectomy (LaTG), LaTSG is a safer procedure in terms of both short and long-term outcomes. The long-term survival of patients who underwent LaTSG was better than that of patients who underwent LaTG. Furthermore, LaTSG may have an advantage over LaTG by improving the postoperative nutritional status and preventing reflux oesophagitis.