Despite advancements in surgical techniques, gastric cancer (GC), the fifth most prevalent malignancy globally and the third leading cause of cancer-related mortality [1], continues to pose significant clinical challenges. The 3-year survival rate for patients with stage II and III GC has risen to over 80 % [2] with the recent advancements in surgery and perioperative chemotherapy. Nevertheless, the postoperative recurrence rate remains high at 22 % to 45 % [2,3]. Surgery is limited to removing …