Lymphadenectomy in oncological visceral surgery-Part 1. Hepatobiliary tumors and pancreatic cancer

Lymphadenectomy is an integral component of the oncological surgery of cancer of the gastrointestinal tract and the hepato-pancreato-biliary system. The lymph node dissection is mainly prognostic but may also offer therapeutic advantages in the treatment of most cancers. Moreover, lymphadenectomy enables an accurate TNM staging, which is essential for afurther stratification of the individual treatment as well as the inclusion in clinical trials on adjuvant therapy. This article gives an overview of the anatomy of the lymphatic drainage system of visceral organs and summarizes the current role of asystematic lymphadenectomy in oncological surgery (Part1: hepatobiliary tumors and pancreatic cancer).