Laparoscopic total gastrectomy for concurrent gastric cancer and complete agenesis of the dorsal pancreas

Abstract

We present an unusual case of laparoscopic total gastrectomy with lymph node dissection in a 56-year-old woman with gastric cancer and agenesis of the dorsal pancreas (ADP). Esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed erosive lesions with thickened gastric folds; biopsy specimens revealed a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. Abdominal contrast-enhanced computed tomography showed a thickened wall of the gastric body; the distal pancreas was not visualized. Under the clinical diagnosis of gastric cancer with ADP, the patient underwent laparoscopic total gastrectomy with standard lymphadenectomy. The absence of a pancreatic neck, body, and tail was confirmed; lymph nodes along the splenic artery were dissected. Pathological analysis demonstrated a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma invading the serosa, with five lymph node metastases. The postoperative course was unremarkable; postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy was performed using S-1 plus oxaliplatin. No symptom recurrence was observed at the 6-month follow-up. Laparoscopic surgery, with careful preoperative anatomic evaluation, can be considered for concurrent gastric cancer and ADP.