Table 1.
Potential advantages (+) and disadvantages (-) of total gastrectomy and esophagectomy for the treatment of esophagogastric junction tumors
| Gastrectomy | Esophagectomy |
| + Only abdominal approach, avoiding thoracotomy/thoracoscopic associated morbidity | + Better proximal and circumferential resection margins |
| + Adequate abdominal lymph node dissection | + Extensive mediastinal lymph node dissection |
| + No GERD/No PPI | + Preservation of ¾ of stomach |
| - Inadequate mediastinal lymph node dissection | - Abdominal and thoracic approach |
| - Shorter proximal margins | - Hiatal herniation risk |
| - Vitamin B12 malabsorption | - Gastroesophageal reflux (necessity of PPI) |
| - Dumping | - Pylorospasm |
GERD: Gastroesophageal reflux disease; PPI: Proton pump inhibitor.