Surgical treatment of gastric cancer: Then and now

Abstract

Gastric cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers found in the world (980,000 new cases in 2008), but its treatment outcomes are poor, particularly in the European Union (EU); only a 25% survival after 5 years. Despite advances made in combination therapy, the only effective treatment that remains is surgery. The extent of gastric resection and lymphadenectomy, along with reconstruction methods, have systematically evolved over the last 100 years. This paper discusses both present day recommendations and the pathways that were taken enabling modern gastric surgery to develop.