Criteria for the Optimal Extent of Lymph Node Dissection for Gastric Carcinoma: Number of Harvested Lymph Nodes or Properly Dissected Relevant Lymph Node Stations? Standard or Personalized Extent?

Abstract

Gastric cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide accounting for more than 8.0% of the total deaths from all causes of malignancy. Although the prognosis for advanced gastric carcinoma has improved with the introduction of effective neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy surgical eradication of the tumor with its lymphatics remains the primary therapeutic modality for resectable tumor. With respect to surgical procedure, dissection of the regional lymph nodes is regarded an important part of radical intent surgery for gastric carcinoma. However, there are significant differences in the extent of lymph node dissection preformed by surgeons in different part of the world.