The current status and future perspectives of laparoscopic surgery for gastric cancer

The incidence of early gastric cancer (EGC) has increased to over 50% in Korea and Japan due to rapid advances in diagnostic instrumentation and increased use of mass screening. Considering the excellent prognosies of EGC patients, the quality of life of these patients after treatment has recently been emphasized. For the better quality of life, laparoscopic surgery has emerged as an alternative therapy for EGC patients. Since Kitano et al. first performed laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy (LADG) for early gastric cancer in 1991, it has been performed worldwide, especially in Japan and Korea. A number of reports have presented the excellent short term outcomes; less pain, better cosmetics, faster recovery, and shorter hospital stay. However, there is little evidence of the oncological outcome of laparoscopic gastrectomy as a treatment modality for gastric cancer. Multi-center randomized controlled trials of laparoscopic versus open gastrectomy are needed to establish the future role of laparoscopic surgery in the treatment of patients with gastric cancer.