Mitsuru Sasako

Mitsuru Sasako is a pioneer of evidence-based gastric cancer surgery who led definitive Japanese trials establishing the oncological benefit of D2 lymphadenectomy and defining surgical quality standards. He led multiple JCOG trials including JCOG9501 on para-aortic dissection and JCOG0501 on laparoscopic surgery for T2 gastric cancer, contributing the most comprehensive evidence base for gastric cancer surgical standards. Sasako co-authored Japanese Gastric Cancer Association treatment guidelines and has been a major voice for Japanese surgical principles of quality gastric cancer surgery influencing practice globally. His focus on surgical quality metrics and training has established benchmarks for gastric cancer surgery worldwide.