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Background: Laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy (LAG) has been proven to be feasible and oncologically safe for early gastric cancer. Despite the rapid increase in the number of LAG cases, there are few reports on the long-term outcomes of T4a (serosalinvasion) gastric cancer after LAG. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the long-term clinical outcomes in patients with stage T4a gastric cancer after laparoscopic gastrectomy., Materials and Methods: A total of 578 patients with gastric cancer were treated with LAG between February 2004 and December 2014. Among these patients, 224 patients were pathologically confirmed with T4a advanced gastric cancer. The clinical and follow-up data were retrospectively analyzed, the survival rates were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and the risk factors for overall and disease-free survival (DFS) were evaluated by Cox regression., Results: Among these 224 patients, 129 patients were above 60 years old, and the male-to-female ratio was 157:67. Furthermore, among these patients, 125 patients received laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy, whereas 99 patients received laparoscopy-assisted total gastrectomy. Forty (17.90%) patients experienced postoperative complications according to the Clavien-Dindo classification. Median follow-up time was 32 months. Recurrence was observed in 99 (44.20%) patients. The cumulative 5-year overall survival (OS) and DFS rates were 47.20% and 43.60%, respectively. The 5-year OS and DFS rates were 72.50% and 70.00% for stage N0, 57.00% and 53.90% for stage N1, 41.60% and 37.00% for stage N2, and 23.30% and 21.30% for stage N3, respectively. In the univariate analysis, tumor size, tumor location, N stage and metastatic lymph node ratio (MLR) were correlated with OS and DFS. The MLR was identified as an independent predictor for OS (P<0.05; hazard ratio=1.828; 95% confidence interval, 1.353-2.469) and DFS (P<0.05; hazard ratio=1.197; 95% confidence interval, 0.945-1.516)., Conclusions: The long-term outcomes of LAG for T4a (M0) gastric cancer were acceptable, compared with previous reports. Therefore, this treatment could be considered as an alternative operative approach for T4a gastric cancer. The MLR was an independent predictor for OS and DFS.

Objective: To investigate the safety and feasibility of totally laparoscopic uncut Roux-en-Y anastomosis in the distal gastrectomy with D2 dissection for gastric cancer. We also summarized the preliminary experience of totally laparoscopic uncut Roux-en-Y anastomosis., Methods: A retrospective analysis was done in 51 cases of total laparoscopic uncut Roux-en-Y anastomosis in the distant gastrectomy with D2 dissection for gastric cancer in our hospital from September 2014 to December 2015., Results: All of 51 cases underwent total laparoscopic uncut Roux-en-Y anastomosis. All the procedures were performed successfully. There were neither conversions to open surgery nor intraoperative complications in all 51 cases. In this study, the median operative time was 170 (135-210) min and the median time of anastomosis was 27 (24-41) min. The blood loss was 60 (30-110) ml. The time to flatus and length of postoperative hospital stay were 2 (1-3) days, and 8 (7-12) days, respectively. The mean lymph node harvest was 34 (18-49). One anastomotic bleeding occurred postoperatively which was cured by conservative treatment. No major postoperative complication occurred, such as anastomotic leak, anastomotic stenosis, and Roux stasis syndrome. After a short-term follow-up, no recanalization or reflux gastritis was encountered by endoscopy., Conclusion: The totally laparoscopic uncut Roux-en-Y anastomosis in distal gastrectomy with lymph node dissection for gastric cancer is safe and feasible, with a very low rate of recanalization and reflux gastritis.

Introduction: Laparoscopic total gastrectomy (LTG) has been widely performed for gastric cancer in China, Korea, and Japan. The current status of this surgical approach needs to be investigated., Methods: During the 11th China-Korea-Japan Laparoscopic Gastrectomy Joint Seminar in Shanghai, China, on 5 March 2016, a questionnaire was completed by 65 experts in LTG. The survey included questions on surgical indication, operation team, laparoscopic instruments, and operative procedures., Results: Of the 65 respondents, 35 (53.8%) were from China, 18 (27.7%) were from Korea, and 12 (18.5%) were from Japan. Surgeons have various indications for LTG. Among respondents, stage II gastric cancer (42.9%) was the most acceptable indication, but Japanese surgeons were more cautious on this issue (P = 0.005). Using a flexible scope was more popular with Japanese surgeons than with others (P = 0.003). A goose-neck curved grasper was used more often in China and Korea than in Japan (P = 0.006). Chinese surgeons preferred vertical subxiphoid mini-laparotomy rather than vertical transumbilical laparotomy. Intracorporeal reconstruction (73.0%) was most frequently adopted for LTG. Linear staplers (53.8%) and circular staplers (42.1%) were both popular for esophagojejunostomy. However, jejunojejunostomy was more often conducted extracorporeally (67.7%), in which case a linear stapler (86.4%) was usually selected. Significant differences were observed between the three countries with regard to reinforcement of the duodenal stump (P = 0.018) and closure of Peterson's space (P < 0.001)., Conclusion: This survey on LTG involving surgeons from China, Korea, and Japan clearly informed the current practice of this surgical approach and will likely aid future research studies as well as clinical treatment for gastric cancer., (© 2017 Japan Society for Endoscopic Surgery, Asia Endosurgery Task Force and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)

Objective: To discuss the learning curve of laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy (LADG) with lymph node dissection and the oncological results and long-term outcomes of different periods in the learning stage., Patients and Methods: One hundred twenty-four patients with gastric cancer who received LADG with lymph node dissection from January 2004 to December 2009 were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed. They were divided into three groups (A-C) according to different operative date: 41 were in Group A (early), 41 in Group B (middle), and 42 in Group C (laer). There were no significant statistical differences among the three groups with respect to age, gender, early/advanced gastric cancer, Union for International Cancer Control stage, and lymph node dissection. Then the following items were compared in these groups: operative time, blood loss, number of lymph nodes harvested, postoperative complications, postoperative hospital stay, and long-term survival., Results: The operative time in Group A (235.0±50.3 minutes) was significantly longer than in Groups B (201.7±39.6 minutes) and C (199.0±44.7 minutes), but there was no significant difference between Groups B and C. The harvest of lymph nodes from Group A (11.0±5.5) was significantly less than from Groups B (16.3±9.2) and C (17.2±8.7), but there was no significant difference between Groups B and C. The postoperative hospital stay and complications, overall survival, and disease-free survival showed no difference among the three groups., Conclusions: The learning curve of gastrointestinal surgeons with experience of laparoscopic operation is about 40 cases. The oncological principles and long-term outcomes were not sacrificed during the learning stage.

It is the most important for surgeons to achieve surgical safety and oncological clearance in laparoscopic surgery for gastric cancer. With the widespread adoption oflaparoscopic surgery for gastric cancer, surgeons make great efforts to achieve better safety andlower morbidity. Common abdominal complications (intraoperative and postoperative) after laparoscopic radical gastrectomy include bleeding, anastomotic leakage, anastomotic stenosis, iatrogenic organ injury, pancreatic leakage, etc. The causes and prevention of the complications related with laparoscopic radical gastrectomy was discussed in this article.

Objective: To evaluate laparoscopic radical gastrectomy for early gastric cancer., Methods: A total of 204 patients with early gastric cancer undergoing laparoscopic-assisted radical gastrectomy or open radical gastrectomy between October 2004 and December 2009 were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed. Patients were divided into laparoscopic group(LAP, n=78) and open group (OPEN, n=126). Operative time, blood loss, time to passage of flatus, postoperative hospital stay, complications and pathologic findings were compared between the two groups., Results: Compared to the OPEN group, operative time in the LAP group was significantly shorter[(202.9±45.6) min vs.(219.8±45.2) min, P<0.05], blood loss was less[(144.5±146.5) ml vs. (245.0±146.4) ml, P<0.05], time to passage of flatus was shorter[(3.1±1.1) d vs.(4.5±1.6) d, P<0.05], postoperative hospital stay was shorter[(10.8±1.2) d vs. (12.4±3.8) d, P<0.05]. However, the two groups were comparable with regard to postoperative complication rate(10.3% vs. 12.7%, P>0.05), proximal resection margin[(4.0±1.9) cm vs. (4.2±1.7) cm, P>0.05], distal resection margin [(3.6±1.7) cm vs. (3.5±1.8) cm, P>0.05], number of harvested lymph node(13.1±6.5 vs. 14.5±8.2, P>0.05). The median follow up was 22(2-64) months. There were no tumor recurrences or metastases in the LAP group. In the OPEN group, only 1 patient died from peritoneal metastasis. Total hospital costs between the two groups were similar(P>0.05)., Conclusion: Laparoscopic radical gastrectomy is a safe, feasible, effective, and less invasive surgery for early gastric cancer.

Laparoscopic resection of rectal cancer or gastric cancer has been advocated for the benefits of a reduced morbidity, a shorter treatment time, and similar outcomes. However, simultaneous laparoscopy-assisted low anterior resection and distal gastrectomy for synchronous carcinoma of rectum and stomach are rarely documented in literature. Endoscopic examination revealed a synchronous carcinoma of rectum and stomach in a 55-year-old male patient with rectal bleeding and epigastric discomfort. He underwent a simultaneous laparoscopy-assisted low anterior resection and distal gastrectomy with regional lymph nodes dissected. The operation time was 270 min and the estimated blood loss was 120 mL. The patient required parenteral analgesia for less than 24 h. Flatus was passed on postoperative day 3, and a solid diet was resumed on postoperative day 7. He was discharged on postoperative day 13. With the advances in laparoscopic technology and experience, simultaneous resection is an attractive alternative to a synchronous gastrointestinal cancer.