A comparison of total versus partial omentectomy for advanced gastric cancer in laparoscopic gastrectomy

Background: Minimally invasive surgery has been slowly introduced into the field of advanced gastric cancer (AGC) surgery. However, the appropriate extent of omentectomy during laparoscopic gastrectomy for AGC is unknown. Methods: From July 2004 to December 2011, 146 patients with serosa-negative advanced gastric cancer were divided into the total omentectomy group (TO group, n = 80) and the partial omentectomy group (PO group, n = 66). The clinicopathologic characteristics, surgical outcomes, recurrence pattern and survival were analyzed. Results: There were no significant differences in the clinicopathologic features between the two groups, except for depth of invasion; more T3 (subserosal invasion) cases (65%) were included in total omentectomy group (P = 0.011). The mean time for PO was significantly shorter (35.1 +/- 13.0 min) than TO (50.9 +/- 15.3 min) (P < 0.001), and there were two omentectomy-related complications in the TO group: spleen and mesocolon injuries. Recurrence occurred in 14 (17.5%) and 5 (7.6%) cases in the TO and PO group, respectively (P = 0.054). Disease-free survival (TO versus PO: 81.5% versus 89.3%, P = 0.420) and disease-specific survival (TO versus PO: 89% versus 94.7%) were not significantly different between the two groups. In the case-matched analysis using propensity score matching, there was no difference in disease-free survival (TO versus PO: 83.3% versus 90.5%, P = 0.442). Conclusions: Partial omentectomy might be an oncologically safe procedure during laparoscopic gastrectomy for serosa-negative advanced gastric cancer, similar to early gastric cancer.