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Clinical Significance of Lymph Node Micrometastasis in Gastric Cancer

  • Gastrointestinal Oncology
  • Published:
Annals of Surgical Oncology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Recently, the existence of lymph node micrometastasis (LNM), including isolated tumor cells, has been focused on during the development of molecular diagnostic tools for lymph node metastasis in various malignant neoplasms. In particular, immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction have been reported to be available for the detection of LNM in gastric cancer. However, at present, the clinical significance of LNM remains unclear in patients with gastric cancer. Therefore, we cannot strategically make light of this issue in clinical management. Currently, minimally invasive treatments, such as endoscopic submucosal dissection and laparoscopic surgery with personalized lymphadenectomy, are widely performed in consideration of postsurgical quality of life (QOL). However, it is important to maintain the balance between QOL and curability when selecting surgical treatments for patients with gastric cancer. If minimally invasive surgery based on LNM status was established for patients with early gastric cancer, it could be performed safely. We reviewed the clinical significance of LNM as an important strategic target in patients with gastric cancer.

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DISCLOSURE

The authors have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Digestive Surgery, Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Field of Oncology, Course of Advanced Therapeutics, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima, Japan

    Takaaki Arigami MD, Yoshikazu Uenosono MD, Shigehiro Yanagita MD, Akihiro Nakajo MD, Sumiya Ishigami MD, Hiroshi Okumura MD, Yuko Kijima MD, Shinichi Ueno MD & Shoji Natsugoe MD

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  1. Takaaki Arigami MD
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  2. Yoshikazu Uenosono MD
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  3. Shigehiro Yanagita MD
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  4. Akihiro Nakajo MD
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  5. Sumiya Ishigami MD
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  6. Hiroshi Okumura MD
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  7. Yuko Kijima MD
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  8. Shinichi Ueno MD
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  9. Shoji Natsugoe MD
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Correspondence to Shoji Natsugoe MD.

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Arigami, T., Uenosono, Y., Yanagita, S. et al. Clinical Significance of Lymph Node Micrometastasis in Gastric Cancer. Ann Surg Oncol 20, 515–521 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-012-2355-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-012-2355-x

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