Impact of diagnostic laparoscopy on the management of gastric cancer: prospective study of 120 consecutive patients with primary gastric adenocarcinoma

Background Peritoneal seeding or liver metastases found at laparotomy usually preclude curative treatment in patients with gastric adenocarcinoma. Such exploratory laparotomies may be avoided by diagnostic laparoscopy. However, routine diagnostic laparoscopy does not benefit those patients who proceed to laparotomy after negative laparoscopy. The aim of this study was to evaluate prospectively the selective use of laparoscopy in uncertain situations. Methods One hundred and twenty consecutive patients with primary gastric adenocarcinoma were studied prospectively. Diagnostic laparoscopy was performed in patients with clinical T4 tumours or suspected metastases, unless laparotomy was required for symptomatic disease. Results Ninety-six of 120 patients were selected for immediate laparotomy with curative intent (n = 81) or for palliation (n = 15). In two of the 81 patients gastrectomy was abandoned because of unexpected peritoneal carcinomatosis. Fifteen patients underwent diagnostic laparoscopy, which identified intra-abdominal metastases in six; the other nine patients proceeded to laparotomy, which revealed peritoneal metastases not detected at laparoscopy in four patients. The remaining nine patients had overt metastases and were referred for systemic chemotherapy without abdominal exploration. Conclusion Diagnostic laparoscopy in selected patients effectively limits the number of unnecessary invasive staging procedures. Routine use of diagnostic laparoscopy in all patients with gastric adenocarcinoma is not warranted.