| Abstract [eng] |
Gastric cancer remains one of the most prevalent cancers worldwide. Surgical resection remains main and only potentially curative treatment option for it. However, surgery is associated with significant morbidity and mortality, especially in elderly patients. Clinical and pathological criteria were determined in Japan to identify early gastric cancer cases with negligible risk of lymph node metastasis. Therefore, new technique – endoscopic resection of the tumor were adopted to clinical practice. This method is widely adopted in Asia, although, not in Western countries. The purpose of this study was to determine the risk factors for lymph node metastasis in Lithuanian population, which can be considered as Western type, also, to determine if endoscopic resection is acceptable in non-Asian population. The study results demonstrate the risk factors for lymph node metastasis, the rate of lymph node metastasis in early gastric cancer which meets the standard and expanded criteria for endoscopic resection. Also, the risk of standard surgical treatment and compares surgery with endoscopic resection regarding short- and longterm results. The conclusions of the study confirm the safety of endoscopic resection for early gastric cancer in the Lithuanian population. This is the first study comparing surgery and endoscopic resection for early gastric cancer in the Western population. |
