Gastric carcinoma: is radical gastrectomy worth while?

Total gastrectomy as the treatment of choice for gastric carcinoma was evaluated by a number of centres during the decade 1945-55. The operative mortality was found to be higher, the 5-year survival rate was lower, and the undesirable digestive side effects were greater than those following subtotal resection. The very radical subtotal resections with miniature gastric remnants were also found to result in postgastrectomy symptoms quite similar to those of total gastrectomy. Technical refinements of oesophagojejunal anastomoses and the use of nutritional supplements and antianaemic therapy have reduced but have not eliminated the sequelae of radical gastrectomy.A review of 15 reports of gastric cancer treatment from 8 countries suggests that in recent years total gastrectomy has been utilised in 25.4% of resections, with an average operative mortality of 21.7% and a 5-year survival of 12.3%. Radical resection or total gastrectomy is recommended for certain specific conditions, but for the usual antral gastric cancer subtotal resection distal to the vasa brevia with preservation of the gastric fundus and spleen is recommended