Gastric Surgery
Specialty
Gastric
Surgery
Advanced surgical treatment for gastric cancer and benign stomach disease, with a focus on function-preserving techniques and robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery.
Primary Condition
Gastric Cancer & Submucosal Tumours
Expertise
Function-Preserving & Oncological Surgery
What We Treat
Conditions We Treat
Our gastric surgery team manages the full spectrum of gastric diseases — from early-stage endoscopic cases to advanced cancers requiring combined chemotherapy and surgery.
01 · Primary
Gastric Cancer
We treat all stages of gastric cancer, with particular expertise in function-preserving gastrectomy — surgical approaches that aim to maintain as much normal gastric function as possible while achieving oncological cure.
02 · Junction
Esophagogastric Junction Cancer
Adenocarcinoma at the esophagogastric junction — a cancer type increasingly common with Westernised lifestyles — is managed jointly with the Esophageal Surgery team to determine the optimal surgical approach.
03 · Submucosal
Gastric Submucosal Tumours
Submucosal tumours of the stomach (such as GIST) are managed using laparoscopic and endoscopic cooperative surgery (LECS), a hybrid technique developed to preserve the stomach while achieving complete resection.
Multidisciplinary Collaboration
Our gastric surgery team works in close partnership with the Department of Gastroenterology and the Department of Clinical Oncology. For patients with concurrent conditions, we coordinate across specialties to provide seamless, integrated care. Patients unsure which department to attend are welcome to start with our team.
Our Approach
Robot-Assisted Surgeryas the New Standard
Robot-assisted and laparoscopic surgery are our preferred techniques for gastric cancer. Our surgeons are recognised nationally and internationally as experts and regularly train surgeons at other institutions.
Robot-Assisted Gastrectomy
Our surgeons are among Japan’s leading experts in robotic gastrectomy for gastric cancer, regularly performing training and proctoring at hospitals nationwide.
Laparoscopic Gastrectomy
Laparoscopic gastrectomy with lymph node dissection is performed as standard for eligible patients, minimizing recovery time without compromising oncological outcomes.
Endoscopic Treatment (ESD / LECS)
Early gastric cancers are managed endoscopically with ESD in collaboration with Gastroenterology team. Submucosal tumours are treated with LECS — a combined laparoscopic-endoscopic approach.
Function-Preserving Surgery
Where oncologically appropriate, we employ techniques that preserve gastric volume and function, aiming to improve long-term quality of life after surgery.
Advanced & MultimodalTreatment
For locally advanced gastric cancers, perioperative chemotherapy — chemotherapy given both before and after surgery — significantly improves cure rates. We participate in leading national clinical trials through JCOG to continuously advance treatment standards.
High-risk cases with extensive lymph node metastasis may benefit from our intensive pre-operative combination chemotherapy protocols (JCOG clinical trials), offering the possibility of surgery in cases that would otherwise be unresectable.
For Patients
Your Care Pathway
We primarily see patients referred by their physicians. Translation support is available for international patients at every step.
01
Referral
Obtain a referral letter from your physician including your diagnosis, endoscopy findings, and imaging results.
02
Appointment
Contact the Regional Medical Cooperation Office to book your initial consultation with our surgical team.
03
Assessment
We review your case comprehensively — endoscopy, CT, pathology — and discuss findings with you at your consultation.
04
Treatment Plan
A personalised plan — surgery alone, or combined with chemotherapy — is agreed with you and your referring physician.
Referring a Patient?
We welcome referrals for gastric cancer and related conditions from physicians throughout Japan and internationally. Please contact our Regional Medical Cooperation Office. We are happy to discuss complex or borderline cases prior to formal referral.