Therapeutic value of lymph node dissection along the superior mesenteric vein and the posterior surface of the pancreatic head in gastric cancer located in the lower third of the stomach

Background Therapeutic value of lymph node dissection along the superior mesenteric vein (14v) and the posterior surface of the pancreatic head (13) remains unclear in gastric cancer patients. Methods We reviewed 355 patients with advanced gastric cancer in the lower third of the stomach who had undergone gastrectomy at our hospital. Results The frequency of lymph node (LN) metastasis was 10.2% and 7.4% in stations 13 and 14v, respectively. The frequency of station 13 metastasis was 26.8% for T3/T4 tumors with group 2 LNs metastasis and 1.4% for all other tumors. The frequency of station 14v metastasis was 22.2% for T3/T4 tumors with group 2 LNs metastasis and 1.8% for all other tumors. The therapeutic values for dissecting LN stations 13 and 14v were 1.9 and 0.9, respectively, similar to the therapeutic value for group 2 LN dissection. Conclusion Because metastasis to stations 13 and 14v occurs frequently in patients with T3/T4 gastric cancer located in the lower third of the stomach who also have metastasis to group 2 LNs, stations 13 and 14v should be dissected in these patients.