Significance of the measurement of serum trypsin in patients surgically treated for gastric cancer.
BACKGROUND/AIMS: The influence of standard lymphadenectomy on the occurrence of damage to the pancreas was evaluated in 107 patients with gastric cancer, by analyzing related serum trypsin and amylase levels, pre- and postoperatively. METHODOLOGY: We divided the patients into two groups: Group A included 59 patients who underwent a standard D1 gastrectomy, according to the classification outlined by the Japanese Research Society for Gastric Cancer. Group B included 48 patients who underwent a D2 gastrectomy. RESULTS: Group B patients had significantly elevated serum trypsin levels on the 7th and 14th postoperative days (P < 0.01). The percent increase in serum trypsin in Group B patients was also significantly elevated on the 7th and 14th postoperative days (P < 0.01). However, there were no significant difference between the two groups in the percent increase or level of serum amylase. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that the measurement of serum trypsin may useful to predict the degree of pancreatic micro-damage caused by lymphadenectomy.