SPLENECTOMY IN CANCER GASTRECTOMY - RECOMMENDATION OF SPLEEN-PRESERVING FOR EARLY STAGES

Background. The prognostic significance of splenectomy in cancer gastr ectomy was reevaluated, in terms of postoperative survival rate, retro spectively. Materials and methods. The cumulative survival rates betwe en a splenectomized group (n=272) and a nonsplenectomized group (n=192 ) were compared, Results. Th; five-, ten-and fifteen-year survival sat es were significantly higher in the nonsplenectomized group in total. When the cancer was classified, according to intra-operative gross fin dings of the degree of serosal invasion, penetration into adjacent org ans and metastases, the five-year cumulative survival rate for Stage I and II patients was significantly higher in the nonsplenectomized gro up, No significant difference was found between the two groups of Stag e III in any of the one-to fifteen-year survival rates, The one-year s urvival rate for Stage IV patients in the splenectomized group was hig her than that in the nonsplenectomized group. Conclusions. The splenec tomy should be limited to the Stage III or IV patients with some speci fic findings.