Background: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is important to improve the prognosis of patients with advanced gastric cancer. However, it may result in postoperative complications (POCs). The aim of this study is to evaluate risk factors and prognostic impact of POCs in patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
Methods: We retrospectively collected clinical information of patients who underwent curative gastrectomy after receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy between 2011 and 2018. Overall survival (OS) was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Logistic regression and Fisher's exact test were used to evaluate risk factors for complications.
Results: A total of 176 patients were included in our study. The 3-year OS rates for the complication group (n = 30) and non-complication group (n = 146) were 36.7% and 52.7%, respectively (p = 0.0294). Age, BMI, multivisceral resection and operation time were independent risk factors for POCs in patients. Patients with multivisceral resection were more likely to suffer from grade III-IV complications (p = 0.026). Inflammation complications might occur in patients with high BMI (p = 0.017). Low preoperative albumin seemed to be a risk factor for leakage complications (p = 0.033).
Conclusions: Our study revealed that patients with POCs had a poor prognosis and we identified the risk factors for complications so that POCs can be avoided in time.
Keywords: gastric cancer; neoadjuvant chemotherapy; postoperative complication.