Function-preserving gastrectomy based on the sentinel node concept in early gastric cancer

Recent meta-analyses and a prospective multi-center trial of sentinel node (SN) mapping in early gastric cancer have demonstrated acceptable SN detection rates and accuracy of determination of lymph node status. SN mapping may play a key role in obtaining individual metastatic information. It also allows modification of surgical procedures, including function-preserving gastrectomy in patients with early gastric cancer. A dual-tracer method that uses radioactive colloids and blue dye is currently considered the most reliable method for the stable detection of SNs in patients with early gastric cancer. New technologies, such as indocyanine green infrared or fluorescence imaging, are also useful for accurate SN mapping in gastric cancer. Theoretically, laparoscopic function-preserving gastrectomy, including partial resection, proximal gastrectomy, segmental gastrectomy, and pylorus-preserving gastrectomy, is feasible in early gastric cancer when the SN(s) is/are nonmetastatic. Our study group conducted a multicenter prospective trial in Japan to evaluate function-preserving gastrectomy with SN mapping for long-term survival and patient quality of life. Non-exposed endoscopic wall-inversion surgery (NEWS) is a new technique for treating gastric cancer with partial resection involving full-thickness resection with endoscopy and laparoscopic surgery without transluminal access. The combination of NEWS and SN biopsy is expected to be a promising, minimally invasive, function-preserving surgery that is ideal for cases of cN0 early gastric cancer.