Robotic Gastrectomy Shows Promise in Treating Gastric Cancer

Strategic Insights -

A new study comparing open, laparoscopic, and robotic gastrectomy techniques in the treatment of gastric cancer has found that minimally invasive surgical methods, particularly robotic gastrectomy, provide a safe and oncologically adequate alternative to open surgery. The research, conducted at the University of Health Sciences in Istanbul, Turkey, analyzed 109 patients who underwent surgery for gastric adenocarcinoma between April 2020 and September 2022. The study's findings suggest that robotic gastrectomy can reduce post-operative hospital stay and initiation of oral intake, making it a viable option for selected patients at high-volume centers.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study included 109 patients with a mean age of 63.1 years, with 37 females (33.9%) and 72 males (66.1%).
  • The operative time was significantly shorter in the open gastrectomy group compared to the laparoscopic and robotic groups (P = 0.012).
  • Robotic gastrectomy showed improved outcomes in terms of post-operative hospital stay and initiation of oral intake compared to open surgery.
  • The study found that robotic gastrectomy can be safely employed in selected patients by experienced teams at high-volume centers.
  • The study suggests that minimally invasive surgical techniques, particularly robotic gastrectomy, provide a safe and oncologically adequate alternative to open surgery for the treatment of gastric cancer.
  • Patients undergoing robotic gastrectomy had a mean age of 63.1 years, with 37 females (33.9%) and 72 males (66.1%).
  • The study's findings have important implications for the treatment of gastric cancer, suggesting that robotic gastrectomy can reduce post-operative complications and improve patient outcomes.

Statistics:

  • The study included 109 patients with a mean age of 63.1 years (±11.4 years).
  • The operative time was significantly shorter in the open gastrectomy group compared to the laparoscopic and robotic groups (P = 0.012).
  • The post-operative hospital stay was shorter in the robotic gastrectomy group (P = 0.02).
  • The initiation of oral intake was also shorter in the robotic gastrectomy group (P = 0.03).

Sources:

  • University of Health Sciences Reports Findings in Gastric Cancer (Comparison of short-term oncologic outcomes in open, laparoscopic and robotic radical gastrectomy for the treatment of gastric cancer). Journal of Engineering. July 28, 2025; p 3944.
  • Journal of Minimal Access Surgery. Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications, Wolters Kluwer India Pvt Ltd , A-202, 2ND Flr, Qube, C T S No 1498A-2 Village Marol, Andheri East, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.