BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study gives insight into the effect of splenectomy in radical surgery for gastric cancer. METHODOLOGY: The study included 631 patients who underwent radical resection for gastric cancer. Of these 631 patients, 105 underwent splenectomy and 526 had splenic preservation. The clinicopathologic features of 105 patients underwent gastrectomy combined with resection of the spleen (splenectomy group) and 526 patients underwent gastrectomy (spleen-preservation group) were compared. RESULTS: Gastric cancer with splenectomy was characterized by tumor located in gastric cardia (33.3%), positive lymph node metastasis (91.4%), and serosal invasion (94.3%). For age, gender, and tumor size, there was no significant difference between the patients with splenectomy and spleen-preservation. The 5-year survival of splenectomy group was 21.3% as compared with 38.6% for spleen-preservation group (P<0.001). With respect to patients with splenectomy, multivariate analysis showed that lymph node metastasis was significant factors affecting survival. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with spleen-preservation group, patients who underwent gastrectomy combined with splenectomy have a greater chance of tumor located in gastric cardia, positive lymph node metastasis, and serosal invasion and a significantly poor prognosis.
BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study gives insight into the effect of splenectomy in radical surgery for gastric cancer. METHODOLOGY: The study included 631 patients who underwent radical resection for gastric cancer. Of these 631 patients, 105 underwent splenectomy and 526 had splenic preservation. The clinicopathologic features of 105 patients underwent gastrectomy combined with resection of the spleen (splenectomy group) and 526 patients underwent gastrectomy (spleen-preservation group) were compared. RESULTS:Gastric cancer with splenectomy was characterized by tumor located in gastric cardia (33.3%), positive lymph node metastasis (91.4%), and serosal invasion (94.3%). For age, gender, and tumor size, there was no significant difference between the patients with splenectomy and spleen-preservation. The 5-year survival of splenectomy group was 21.3% as compared with 38.6% for spleen-preservation group (P<0.001). With respect to patients with splenectomy, multivariate analysis showed that lymph node metastasis was significant factors affecting survival. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with spleen-preservation group, patients who underwent gastrectomy combined with splenectomy have a greater chance of tumor located in gastric cardia, positive lymph node metastasis, and serosal invasion and a significantly poor prognosis.