Totally intracorporeal laparoscopic gastrectomy for gastric cancer

Excerpt

Laparoscopic surgery for gastrointestinal cancers has rapidly evolved during the last decade. Following the strict principles of comparative-effectiveness research (CER), conclusive evidence from appropriate randomized, controlled trials (RCTs) for the safety and effectiveness of laparoscopic colectomy for stage I colon cancer has established this technique as the standard of care in high-volume hospitals and specialized surgeons [1]. There also has been fast progress in the laparoscopic treatment of gastric cancer and rectal cancer. Several relatively small RCTs and large retrospective studies with positive results have recently been published for these tumors [2‐7]. Although the results of phase III RCTs should be awaited for definitive conclusions, there are scientific expectations that laparoscopic surgery will be proven safe and effective for patients with stage I–III gastric cancer or rectal cancer. …