Reply to “Totally Laparoscopic Gastrectomy: A Reality for USA and Europe?” (ASO-2009-04-0501.R1)

Excerpt

We would like to thank Dr. Hottenrott and colleagues for their strongly supportive comments regarding our recent publication “Laparoscopic versus Open Subtotal Gastrectomy for Adenocarcinoma: a Case–Control Study.” We concur with the authors that, once the basic oncologic principles of clear margins and complete lymphadenectomy have been achieved, outcome is largely determined by the biology of disease rather than surgical technique. Our study confirms that, although technically demanding compared with open gastrectomy, the minimally invasive approach offers additional short-term advantages of improved quality of life and decreased complications. While we have no reason to believe that the comparable short-term survival rates will diverge, we continue to follow these patients long-term to confirm this assumption. …