Current status of randomized controlled trials for laparoscopic gastric surgery for gastric cancer in China

Abstract

China alone accounts for nearly 42% of all new gastric cancer cases worldwide, and gastric cancer is the third leading cause of cancer deaths in China nowadays. Without mass screening programs, unfortunately over 80% of all Chinese patients have been diagnosed as advanced diseases. As in other Asian countries, especially Japan and Korea, laparoscopic gastrectomy for the treatment of gastric cancer has gained increasingly popularity in China during the past decade. Whether laparoscopic surgery can be safely and effectively performed in the treatment of gastric cancer remains controversial, particularly with regard to curative intent in advanced diseases. Given the high incidence of these cancers, and their advanced stage at diagnosis, China has a significant interest in determining the safety and effectiveness of laparoscopic gastrectomy. A well-designed randomized controlled trial (RCT) is considered the only feasible way to provide conclusive evidence. To date, China has not played a significant role in terms of conducting RCT concerning laparoscopic surgery for gastric cancer. However, an effort has been made by the Chinese researchers, with the great help from our colleagues in neighboring countries such as Korea and Japan, through the establishment of the Chinese Laparoscopic Gastrointestinal Surgery Study Group. In this review, we present the current status of RCT for laparoscopic gastric surgery for gastric cancer in China, including published and ongoing registered RCT.