Palliative resection in gastric cancer.

Fifty-one of 256 patients underwent a palliative procedure for advanced carcinoma of the stomach (TNM stage IV). The resection was classified as palliative if metastatic disease was left behind in the lymph nodes, if involvement of organs elsewhere in the abdominal cavity was present, or if microscopy revealed tumor tissue in the resection lines. Twenty-six patients underwent a resection for palliation. There were 14 total and 12 partial gastrectomies. There were 2 deaths after total gastrectomy because of anastomotic leakage. The mean survival time after operation was 9.5 months. In 13 patients (50%) palliation was good with preoperative symptomatic relief without initiating new symptoms, acceptable body weight, and solid food intake. In 7 patients (27%) palliation was moderate, and in 4 (15%) poor. The results after gastroenterostomy in 25 patients were poor. The study shows that palliative total and partial gastrectomy can produce palliation in advanced gastric cancer.