Study on Laparoscopic Spleen-Preserving No. 10 Lymph Node Dissection for Advanced Middle or Upper Third Gastric Cancer

Study on Long-term Outcome of Laparoscopic Spleen-Preserving D2 Lymphadenectomy With and Without No. 10 Lymph Node Dissection for Advanced Gastric Cancer

The purpose of this study is to explore the short-term, long-term and oncological outcomes of laparoscopic spleen-preserving No. 10 lymph node dissection in a left-sided approach for advanced middle or upper third gastric cancer not invading greater curvature.

A prospective randomized comparison of laparoscopic spleen-preserving No. 10 lymph node dissection for gastric cancer will be performed, to evaluate the short-term, long-term and oncological outcomes. The evaluation parameters are perioperative clinical efficacy, postoperative life quality, immune function and 3-year survival and recurrence rates.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age from 18 to 75 years
• Primary proximal gastric adenocarcinoma not invading greater curvature (papillary, tubular, mucinous, signet ring cell, or poorly differentiated) confirmed pathologically by endoscopic biopsy
• cT2-4a, N0-3, M0 at preoperative evaluation according to the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) Cancer Staging Manual Seventh Edition
• No distant metastasis is observed. And the spleen, pancreas or other adjacent organs are not involved by the tumor.
• Performance status of 0 or 1 on Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group scale (ECOG)
• American Society of Anesthesiology score (ASA) class I, II, or III
• Written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Women during pregnancy or breast-feeding
• Severe mental disorder
• History of previous upper abdominal surgery (except laparoscopic cholecystectomy)
• History of previous gastrectomy, endoscopic mucosal resection or endoscopic submucosal dissection
• Enlarged or bulky regional lymph node diameter over 3cm by preoperative imaging
• History of other malignant disease within past five years
• History of previous neoadjuvant chemotherapy or radiotherapy
• History of unstable angina or myocardial infarction within past six months
• History of cerebrovascular accident within past six months
• History of continuous systematic administration of corticosteroids within one month
• Requirement of simultaneous surgery for other disease
• Emergency surgery due to complication (bleeding, obstruction or perforation) caused by gastric cancer
• FEV1<50% of predicted values