Results of total gastrectomy for gastric cancer.

To compare the results of total gastrectomy performed during the last 30 years, we classified 256 patients into four chronologic groups. Despite advances facilitating early detection of gastric cancer, the percentage of patients with stage IV cancer was not significantly different among the four groups. However, operative mortality decreased and curability increased in the two most recent groups. The 5 year survival rate was significantly increased in patients operated on after 1960. Our results show that in Japan, operative mortality and 5 year survival compare favorably with reports from Western countries.