Nihon Geka Gakkai zasshi
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Ninety years have passed since the Japan Surgical Society was founded in 1899. During this period the development of surgery was unparalleled. What was the basis of this development? In this paper I take up surgery for gastric cancer as an example of the progress of surgical thought. ⋯ Since gastric cancer surgery started with the first gastric resection in 1897, it has been followed by lower esophagocardiectomy, total gastrectomy with jejunal interposition, combined resection of the common hepatic artery for thorough lymphadenectomy prior to Appleby, Nakayama's modification of Billroth-I and an extended radical operation. As the result of these surgeons' efforts, gastric cancer surgery with rational lymphadenectomy is now established as we claimed. I would like to reflect upon this history which was the progress of surgical thought.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)