Application value of sentinel lymph node biopsy in the radical operation for Stage II advanced gastric cancer.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to explore the application value of sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy in patients with Stage II advanced gastric cancer and its effects on prognosis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 43 patients with Stage II gastric cancer (experimental group) admitted to our department from March 2011 to February 2013 underwent radical operation using SLN biopsy, and 51 patients with gastric cancer D2 (the control group) received conventional radical operation. The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, number of lymph nodes dissected, postoperative complications, and length of hospital stay between the two groups of patients were recorded. Their clinical data were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTS: The operation times of the experimental group and that of the control group patients were, respectively, 199.6 ± 38.7 and 143.8 ± 33.6 min, with statistical difference (P < 0.05). The number of lymph nodes dissected in the experimental group (18.2 ± 0.8) was significantly greater than that of the control group (13.8 ± 0.7) (P < 0.05). No difference in statistical significance in the intraoperative blood loss (150.2 ± 33.6 vs. 143.8 ± 39.4 mL) or length of stay (12.3 ± 2.6 vs. 11.8 ± 3.1 days) was found between the two groups (P > 0.05). The 2-year survival rates of the experimental group after surgery and that of the control group were 83.7% and 72.5%, respectively, with statistical difference (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: Compared with conventional radical gastrectomy, Stage II SLN biopsy on the premise that neither the intraoperative blood loss nor the length of hospital stay increases can improve the 2-year survival.