Adenocarcinoma of the gastric antrum: does D2 total gastrectomy with splenectomy improve prognosis compared to D1 subtotal gastrectomy? A long-term survival analysis with emphasis on Lauren classification.

AIMS: The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate whether a more radical resection, including total gastrectomy (TG), D2 lymphadenectomy and splenectomy, or subtotal gastrectomy (SG), improves the prognosis of patients with an adenocarcinoma located on the distal third of the stomach.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Seventy-four consecutive patients with an antral carcinoma underwent gastric resection. Forty-three had a TG and 31 an SG. D2 lymph node dissection was carried out in 70% of all patients (30/43) and 100% (21/21) of patients with curative resection in the TG group, whereas in the SG group the patients had only a standard D1 lymph node dissection. Splenectomy was carried out in 84% (36/43) of patients in the TG group, whereas in the SG group the spleen was preserved in all patients. Follow-up was complete for 100% of the patients, with a median follow-up time of 74 months. MAIN END-POINTS OF INTEREST: Overall survival rates, mortality and morbidity rates.

RESULTS: The postoperative 30-day mortality rate was 7% in the TG group and 3.2% in the SG group. The overall morbidity rate was increased from 19% after SG to 37% after TG. There was no microscopic evidence of involvement of proximal resection margins in any of 31 subtotal resected gastric specimens. Lymph node metastases to the splenic hilus (no. 10 nodes) or along the splenic artery (no. 11 nodes) were not found in any of 36 patients who underwent splenectomy and lymphadenectomy. The 5- or 10-year survival rates did not differ significantly between both groups. Analysis of survival showed no significant difference between the TG and SG groups when related to subgroups of patients with curative resection (UICC-RO resection), nodal status (pN), tumour depth (pT-category), tumour stage (pTNM), or Lauren classification (intestinal or diffuse type of carcinoma). The survival rates for patients with curative resection after 5 or 10 years were 58% in the TG group and 66% or 51% in SG group, respectively (P = 0.66).

CONCLUSION: Since D2 total gastrectomy carried an increased overall morbidity risk and did not improve survival in patients with intestinal or diffuse type carcinoma, it seems that with regard to luminal gastric resection, SG is the treatment of choice for carcinomas located in the distal third of the stomach. Whether extensive radical D2 lymphadenectomy should be routinely performed in addition to SG is still controversial.The spleen should be preserved in most cases.