A study of outcomes, technical safety, and feasibility of D‐2 lymphadenectomy in gastric cancer

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Lymph node dissection in gastric cancer had been controversial, but recent data have led us to the conclusion that D‐2 dissection should be the standard of care for potentially curable advanced gastric carcinoma. In this study, we present our single‐institution experience of D‐2 lymph node dissection. METHODS: From January 2013 to September 2018, 115 patients of gastric cancer were treated with D‐2 gastrectomy, 91 of whom met the criteria for study analysis. Data were statistically described as frequencies and percentages where appropriate. Survival curves were plotted using the Kaplan–Meier method, and Cox regression was used to assess the risk among groups. A P value <0.05 was considered to be statistically significant at 95% confidence interval. RESULTS: The majority of patients (86.8%) had Clavien‐Dindo grade I postoperative surgical complications; 90‐day mortality was seen in five (5.5%) patients. Patients with stages I, II, and III had survival rates of 100%, 71.4%; 53.2%, 44.4%; and 27.8%, 28.1%, respectively, for ages <55 and >55 years. Overall recurrence free survival rates were 26 and 28% for <55 years and >55 years, respectively, with a P value of 0.570. On multivariate analysis, positive distal margin and multivisceral resection had a statistically significant hazard ratio. CONCLUSIONS: This retrospective study conducted in our institute on patients with gastric cancer undergoing D‐2 lymphadenectomy has shown that the addition of D‐2 lymph node dissection, when performed at high‐volume centers, have acceptable morbidity and mortality rates. This can be seen from our grades of postoperative surgical complications, 90‐day mortality, and overall 5‐year survival.