Background: A gastrectomy for gastric cancer is sometimes required in patients older than 80 years due to the continuously increasing age of society. However, if a gastrectomy worsens the postoperative quality of life and daily activity in elderly patients because of poor nutrition, the procedure may not always be a useful treatment strategy.
Patients and methods: Clinicopathological data of patients with gastric cancer who underwent a gastrectomy at our Department between 1998 and 2008 (N=471) were collected and analyzed. The results of treatment for patients older than 80 years (N=41) were analyzed and compared against those of patients younger than 80 years (N=430).
Results: Patients older than 80 years had a higher frequency of preoperative co-morbidities than patients younger than 80 years. However, there was no statistical difference in postoperative complications regarding nutrition between the two groups.
Conclusion: Older age is not a determinant of poor nutrition following gastrectomy. Gastrectomy for gastric cancer is, therefore, a useful treatment strategy, regardless of ageing.
Keywords: Gastrectomy; elderly patients; nutrition.
Copyright© 2015 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved.