Laparoscopic surgery for early gastric cancer

Abstract

The incidence of early gastric cancer has been increasing in Korea, and minimally invasive surgeries such as endoscopic resection and laparoscopic surgery, have also been increasing in terms of operations performed. Recent studies show that laparoscopic gastrectomy is a safe technical alternative to open gastrectomy for early gastric cancer with a lower overall complication rate and enhanced postoperative recovery. A retrospective large scale multi-center study from Korean Laparoscopic Gastrointestinal Study (KLASS) Group reported excellent shortterm outcome including feasibility, safety, and effectiveness as well as satisfactory long-term oncologic outcome. We are still waiting for the results from randomized controlled trials of laparoscopic versus open gastrectomy for early gastric cancer patients designed by KLASS which will provide the conclusive evidential support for laparoscopic surgery.