OBJECTIVETo evaluate the value of en-bloc mesogastric excision (EME) in the treatment of advanced gastric cancer.

METHODSA retrospective analysis on clinical data of 98 gastric cancer patients who underwent total gastrectomy in China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University from January 2013 to December 2015 was carried out, including EME group of 48 cases (according to the mesangial space) and D2 radical group of 50 cases(D2 lymphadenectomy according to the vascular markers). Operations were performed by the same single surgeon team. Surgical indexes and recent efficacy indexes were compared between two groups.

RESULTSGeneral informations pertaining to two groups were comparable (P>0.05). All the operations were performed successfully. Compared with D2 radical group, EME group had a shorter operative time [(155.3±13.6) vs. (171.2±14.9) minutes, P=0.012] and less intraoperative blood loss [(95.1±19.5) vs.(122.6±28.0) milliliters, P=0.011]. There were no significant differences in the number of harvested lymph node (30.8±3.9 vs. 31.5±4.7, P=0.675), time to postoperative bowel function return [(3.2±1.2) vs.(3.9±1.4) days, P=0.179], postoperative hospital stay [(10.9±2.7) vs.(11.3±3.2) days, P=0.788], and the incidence of postoperative complication [8.3% vs. 10.0%, P=0.775]. During the follow-up of 1 year, all the patients had no long-term complications, no tumor recurrence or death.

CONCLUSIONSFor advanced gastric cancer, EME result in the same clinical efficacy compared with standard D2 resection. At the same time, EME can shorten the operative time and reduce the intraoperative blood loss, which is a new technology and worthy promoting.