This study was performed to assess the role of additional diagnostic laparo
scopy in the preoperative staging of patients with adenocarcinoma of the es
ophagus, gastric cancer and pancreatic cancer prior to intended curative su
rgery.
89 patients with primary solid abdominal tumors were eligible for evaluatio
n; of those 49 patients had a gastric cancer, 33 a pancreatic cancer and se
ven an adenocarcinoma of the esophagus. Patients without histologically pro
ven metastases proceeded to laparotomy.
Metastases were detectable laparoscopically in nine of 49 patients (18.4%)
with gastric cancer (peritoneum n = 5, omentum n = 2, liver n = 2). Intraop
eratively metastases were evident in further five cases (liver n = 3, perit
oneum n = 2). In eleven of 33 patients (33%) with pancreatic cancer metasta
ses were detected by laparoscopy (liver n = 6, peritoneum n = 2, liver and
peritoneum n = 3) and in further four patients intraoperativell; (liver n =
2, peritoneum n = 2). One of seven patients with an adenocarcinoma of the
esophagus had liver metastases detected by laparoscopy. Intraoperatively no
metastases were evident in those patients. Laparotomies were avoidable in
21 of the 89 patients (23.6%) who had a diagnostic laparoscopy prior to int
ended curative resection.
Preoperative staging by additional diagnostic laparoscopy proved effective
in patients with gastric and pancreatic cancer.