Since there is no abstract we provide the first sentence
There is now a strongly growing trend to laparoscopic gastrectomy. Although there is no level I randomized evidence and cost-effective analysis for the superiority of laparoscopic over open gastrectomy, the indications and use of laparoscopic gastrectomy in clinical practice are expanded beyond and above of the carefully selected older patients in the report by Singh et al. in a recent issue of the Journal [1]. Current published work shows clinical use of laparoscopic gastrectomy in: (a) early-stage gastric cancer with a trend also to locally advanced carcinoma [2], and (b) in carriers of CDH1 mutations for the prevention of hereditary diffuse gastric cancer (HDGC) syndrome [3]. As we also have now begun to apply laparoscopic gastrectomy in an environment of strong competition within various countries and worldwide among specialized institutions to attract patients what are the benefits and risks of laparoscopic approach?
