CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF EXTENSIVE LYMPHADENECTOMY IN GASTRIC CANCER

Objective:The therapeutic value of extensive gastric lymphadenectomy in gastric cancer is controversial.We retrospectively investigated the effect of extended lymphadenectomy on survival in 485 patients with gastric cancer.Methods:From 485 gastric cancer patients who underwent gastrectomy, extensive lymphadenectomy was performed on 341 patients and the 5-year survival rate of patiens who had undergone extensive lymphadenectomy was compared with that of patients who had not undergone extensive lymphadenctomy.Survival was estimated using the Life Table method and difference in survival was tested by the Wilcoxon (Gehan) test.Multivariate analysis was done by the Cox proportional hazard model.Results:The overall 5-year survival rate was 37.75%.For patients undergoing extensive and without extensive lymphadenectomy,the 5-year survival rates were 43.27% and 16.36%, respectively ( P <0.001).Multivariate analysis also showed that extensive lymphadenectomy was an important independent prognostic factor for survival in patients with gastric cancer after gastrectomy.Conclusions:These results indicate that extensive lymphadenectomy might provide a survival benefit for patients with gastric cancer.