The effectiveness of extended lymph node dissection for gastric cancer performed in Costa Rica under the supervision of a Japanese surgeon: a comparison with surgical results in Japan.

Objective: In 1996, the Gastric Cancer Detection Center in Costa Rica (CR) initiated extended lymph node (D2) dissection for gastric cancer patients. We present an analysis of the surgical results compared with those in Japan.

Background: D2 dissection for gastric cancer is a standard surgical procedure in Japan, whereas it is still controversial in the West because of its poor survival benefit and high morbidity and mortality.