Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess the surgical and survival outcomes of laparoscopic gastrectomy in obese patients with gastric cancer.
Methods: All obese patients (body mass index/BMI ≥30 kg/m2) who underwent laparoscopic gastrectomy for gastric cancer with radical intent from January 2008 to September 2016 were compared with non-obese patients undergoing similar surgery. The patient short- and long-term outcomes (overall [OS] and disease-free survival [DFS]) were reviewed.
Results: Fifty-seven obese and 153 non-obese patients underwent laparoscopic gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Operating times were not significantly different. The conversion rate was higher in obese patients than in non-obese patients. Postoperative 30-day morbidity was greater in obese patients than in non-obese patients. The duration of postoperative hospital stay was similar for laparoscopically completed cases (9 days for obese patients vs 8 days for non-obese patients), but in the obese-converted group it was 13 days. Pathological data were equivalent between obese and non-obese patients. The 5-year OS and DFS was similar between the two groups.
Conclusion: Laparoscopic gastrectomy for gastric cancer in obese patients is technically feasible and oncologically safe. However, a higher postoperative 30-day morbidity and conversion rate was observed in obese patients.