Journal of Gastric Cancer

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the recurrence patterns in patients who underwent curative surgery for gastric cancer (GC) and analyze their prognostic value for post-recurrence survival (PRS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 204 patients who experienced GC recurrence following curative gastrectomy for GC at a single institution between January 2012 and December 2017. Specific recurrence patterns (lymph node, peritoneal, and hematogenous) and their multiplicity were analyzed as prognostic factors of PRS...

PURPOSE: Prevention of pancreas-related complications after gastric cancer surgery is critical. Polyglycolic acid (PGA) mesh reduces postoperative pancreatic fistula formation following pancreatic resection. However, the clinical efficacy of PGA mesh in gastric cancer surgery has not been adequately investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study compared the short-term outcomes between two groups: patients who underwent minimally invasive R0 gastrectomy for gastric cancer with the use of a PGA mesh (PGA group) and those without the use of a PGA mesh (non-PGA group) at the Cancer Institute Hospital, Tokyo, between January 2019 and May 2023...

PURPOSE: The study aimed to investigate real-world surgical outcomes of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) for advanced gastric cancer using Korean Gastric Cancer Association (KGCA)-led nationwide data. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A nationwide survey of patients who underwent surgical treatment for gastric cancer in 2019 was conducted by the KGCA. A total of 14,076 patients from 68 institutions underwent surgery, and 4,953 patients diagnosed with pathological stages IB-III gastric cancer were included...

PURPOSE: Long-term outcomes of patients with positive lateral margins (pLMs) after endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for early gastric cancer (EGC). This study aimed to evaluate the remnant cancer and survival rates of patients with pLMs compared with those who underwent curative resection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on consecutive patients with pLMs as the only non-curative factor of expanded indication who underwent ESD for EGC with a follow-up duration of 5 years or more...

PURPOSE: Peritoneal washing cytology (PWC) is a widely used diagnostic tool for detecting peritoneal metastasis of advanced gastric cancer. However, the prognosis of patients with positive PWC remains poor even after gastrectomy, and treatments vary among institutions and eras. In this study, we identified the clinical factors that can help predict cytology-positive (CY(+)) gastric cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the national data of patients with gastric cancer from 2019, as provided by the Information Committee of the Korean Gastric Cancer Association...

PURPOSE: The original eCura system was designed to stratify the risk of lymph node metastasis (LNM) after endoscopic resection (ER) in patients with early gastric cancer (EGC). We assessed the effectiveness of a modified eCura system for reflecting the characteristics of undifferentiated-type (UD)-EGC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Six hundred thirty-four patients who underwent non-curative ER for UD-EGC and received either additional surgery (radical surgery group; n=270) or no further treatment (no additional treatment group; n=364) from 18 institutions between 2005 and 2015 were retrospectively included in this study...

PURPOSE: Gastric cancer is one of the most common cancers in Korea, and the proportion of upper-third gastric cancers has been steadily increasing over the last two decades. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of tumor location on gastric cancer prognosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 2,466 patients who underwent gastrectomy for pathologically proven gastric cancer between January 2011 and December 2016. The patients were divided into an upper-third group (U group; n=419, 17...

PURPOSE: Although smoking and alcohol consumption are known risk factors for gastric cancer (GC), studies assessing their effects on early-onset GC are limited. In this nationwide, population-based, prospective cohort study, we assessed the effects of smoking and alcohol consumption on early-onset GC in patients aged <50 years. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed data of patients aged 20-39 years who underwent cancer and general health screening in the Korean National Health Screening Program between 2009 and 2012...

PURPOSE: Laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy (LPG) is a viable choice for treating proximal gastric lesions. However, the occurrence of severe reflux has limited its widespread adoption. To address this issue, the double flap technique (DFT), which incorporates artificial lower esophageal sphincteroplasty, has been developed to prevent reflux problems after proximal gastrectomy. In this study, we aimed to investigate the usefulness of this technique using high-resolution manometry (HRM), impedance pH monitoring, and esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD)...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

Most gastric subepithelial tumors (SETs) are asymptomatic and are often incidentally discovered during endoscopic procedures conducted for unrelated reasons. Although surveillance is sufficient for the majority of gastric SETs, certain cases necessitate proactive management. Laparoscopic wedge resection, although a viable treatment option, has its limitations, particularly in cases where SETs (especially those with intraluminal growth) are not visualized on the peritoneal side. Recent advances in endoscopic instruments and technology have paved the way for the feasibility of endoscopic resection of SETs...

Anastomotic leaks and fistulas are significant complications of gastric surgery that potentially lead to increased postoperative morbidity and mortality. Surgical intervention is reserved for cases with severe symptoms or hemodynamic instability; however, surgery carries a higher risk of complications. With advancements in endoscopic treatment options, endoscopic approaches have emerged as the primary choice for managing these complications. Endoscopic clipping is a traditional method comprising 2 main categories: through-the-scope clips and over-the-scope clips...

Gastric cancer has been consistently decreasing worldwide, whereas cardia gastric cancer is on the rise. This indicates that the exposure rates to epidemiological causes are changing. In this study, we aim to review the risk factors for gastric cancer with respect to cardia and non-cardia types. One of the most significant risk factors for gastric cancer is Helicobacter pylori infection. H. pylori infection is known as a risk factor for non-cardia gastric cancer, and there have been results indicating that H...

This review delved into the intricate relationship between the gastrointestinal microbiome and gastric cancer, particularly focusing on post-treatment alterations, notably following gastrectomy, and the effects of anticancer therapies. Following gastrectomy, analysis of fecal samples revealed an increased presence of oral cavity aerotolerant and bile acid-transforming bacteria in the intestine. Similar changes were observed in the gastric microbiome, highlighting significant alterations in taxon abundance and emphasizing the reciprocal interaction between the oral and gastric microbiomes...

This review comprehensively examines the diverse spectrum of gastric cancers, focusing on unusual or uncommon histology that presents significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. While the predominant form, tubular adenocarcinoma, is well-characterized, this review focuses on lesser-known variants, including papillary adenocarcinoma, micropapillary carcinoma, adenosquamous carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), hepatoid adenocarcinoma, gastric choriocarcinoma, gastric carcinoma with lymphoid stroma, carcinosarcoma, gastroblastoma, parietal cell carcinoma, oncocytic adenocarcinoma, Paneth cell carcinoma, gastric adenocarcinoma of the fundic gland type, undifferentiated carcinoma, and extremely well-differentiated adenocarcinoma...

Reduced-port gastrectomy (RPG) includes all procedures derived from various efforts to minimize surgical invasiveness, with single-incision laparoscopic gastrectomy (SILG) being the ultimate reduced-port technique. However, there are challenges related to its feasibility, oncological validity, training, and education. This review describes the current issues and challenges, as well as the future prospects of RPG for gastric cancer. Gastrectomy, which started as an open surgery, has evolved into a laparoscopic surgery...

In recent years, remarkable progress has been made in the molecular profiling of gastric cancer. This progress has led to the development of various molecular classifications to uncover subtype-specific dependencies that can be targeted for therapeutic interventions. Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is a crucial biomarker for advanced gastric cancer. The recent promising results of novel approaches, including combination therapies or newer potent agents such as antibody-drug conjugates, have once again brought attention to anti-HER2 targeted treatments...

Liquid biopsy, a minimally invasive procedure that causes minimal pain and complication risks to patients, has been extensively studied for cancer diagnosis and treatment. Moreover, it facilitates comprehensive quantification and serial assessment of the whole-body tumor burden. Several biosources obtained through liquid biopsy have been studied as important biomarkers for establishing early diagnosis, monitoring minimal residual disease, and predicting the prognosis and response to treatment in patients with cancer...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

PURPOSE: Determination of optimal treatment strategies for HER2-positive advanced gastric cancer (AGC) in randomized trials is necessary despite difficulties in direct comparison between trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) and nivolumab as third or later-line treatments. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This single-institution, retrospective study aimed to describe the real-world efficacy and safety of T-DXd and nivolumab as ≥ third line treatments for HER2-positive AGC between March 2016 and May 2022...