Laparoscopic Distal Gastrectomy is Feasible in Very Elderly Patients as Compared with Open Distal Gastrectomy

EAES/SAGES evidence-based recommendations and expert consensus on optimization of perioperative care in older adults

BACKGROUND

As the population ages, more older adults are presenting for surgery. Age-related declines in physiological reserve and functional capacity can result in frailty and poor outcomes after surgery. Hence, optimizing perioperative care in older patients is imperative. Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) pathways and Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) may influence surgical outcomes, but current use and impact on older adults patients is unknown. The aim of this study was to provide evidence-based recommendations on perioperative care of older adults undergoing major abdominal surgery.

METHODS

Expert consensus determined working definitions for key terms and metrics related to perioperative care. A systematic literature review and meta-analysis was performed using the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Clinicaltrials.gov databases for 24 pre-defined key questions in the topic areas of prehabilitation, MIS, and ERAS in major abdominal surgery (colorectal, upper gastrointestinal (UGI), Hernia, and hepatopancreatic biliary (HPB)) to generate evidence-based recommendations following the GRADE methodology.

RESULT

Older adults were defined as 65 years and older. Over 20,000 articles were initially retrieved from search parameters. Evidence synthesis was performed across the three topic areas from 172 studies, with meta-analyses conducted for MIS and ERAS topics. The use of MIS and ERAS was recommended for older adult patients particularly when undergoing colorectal surgery. Expert opinion recommended prehabilitation, cessation of smoking and alcohol, and correction of anemia in all colorectal, UGI, Hernia, and HPB procedures in older adults. All recommendations were conditional, with low to very low certainty of evidence, with the exception of ERAS program in colorectal surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

MIS and ERAS are recommended in older adults undergoing major abdominal surgery, with evidence supporting use in colorectal surgery. Though expert opinion supported prehabilitation, there is insufficient evidence supporting use. This work has identified evidence gaps for further studies to optimize older adults undergoing major abdominal surgery.

Laparoscopic gastrectomy versus open gastrectomy for gastric cancer in patients among octogenarians: a meta-analysis

PURPOSE

Currently, there is no consensus regarding whether super-elderly (aged > 80 years) patients are suitable candidates for laparoscopic surgery. This study aimed to analyse the short-term outcomes and oncological prognosis of laparoscopic gastrectomy in super-elderly patients with gastric cancer (GC).

METHODS

Following PRISMA and AMSTAR-2 guidelines, we searched the Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Pubmed databases from inception until May 2024 and performed a meta-analysis. All published studies exploring the surgical outcomes and oncological prognosis of laparoscopic versus open gastrectomy in super-elderly patients with GC were reviewed. Statistical analyses were performed using RevMan 5.3.

RESULTS

A total of 1,085 studies were retrieved, eight of which were included in the meta-analysis, comprising 807 patients > 80 years of age with GC. The meta-analysis showed that compared with open gastrectomy, patients with GC > 80 years old who underwent laparoscopic gastrectomy had a longer operative time (weighted mean difference [WMD] = 30.48, p < 0.001), less intraoperative blood loss (WMD = -166.96, P < 0.001), shorter postoperative exhaust time (WMD =-0.83, p < 0.001), shorter length of stay (WMD = -0.78, p < 0.001), fewer overall complications (Odds ratio [OR] = 0.54, p = 0.003), higher 5-year overall survival rate (OR = 1.66, p = 0.03) and disease-specific survival rate (OR = 3.23, p < 0.001). Furthermore, laparoscopic gastrectomy did not significantly affect the number of lymph node dissections, the rate of D2 radical gastrectomy, major postoperative complications, or postoperative pneumonia.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared to open gastrectomy, patients with GC aged > 80 years who underwent laparoscopic gastrectomy may have better short-term outcomes. Age should not be a contraindication for minimally invasive surgery.

Short- and Long-Term Outcomes after Laparoscopic Versus Open Gastrectomy for Elderly Gastric Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: With the rapid aging of global population, the number of elderly patients with gastric cancer is increasing. This study aimed to evaluate short- and long-term outcomes after laparoscopic gastrectomy (LG) versus open gastrectomy (OG) in elderly gastric cancer patients. Materials and Methods: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane library databases from January 1994 to May 2019. Surgical safety, postoperative complications, number of harvested lymph nodes, and overall survival rate were included and analyzed. The qualities of the included studies were evaluated by Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale. The evidence of outcomes was evaluated using the GRADE approach. The Review Manager^® 5.3 (Cochrane, London, UK) and Stata^® 14.0 (StataCorp., College Station, Texas) were used to analyze the outcomes. Results: Thirteen studies containing 4768 elderly patients with gastric cancer were included in this meta-analysis. LG was more favorable than OG in terms of overall postoperative morbidity (odds ratio [OR]: 0.56; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.44 to 0.70; P < .00001), the postoperative stay (standardized mean difference [SMD]: -0.56; 95% CI: -0.76 to (-0.37); P < .00001), and the number of harvested lymph nodes (SMD: 0.19; 95% CI: 0.09 to 0.29; P = .0003). No significant difference was found in anastomotic leakage rate (OR: 0.82; 95% CI: 0.59 to 1.12; P = .21), mental disease (OR: 0.79; 95% CI: 0.44 to 1.44; P = .44), or overall survival rate (P = .62) between two groups. However, in the subgroup with a cutoff age of 80 years, the anastomotic leakage rate was higher in LG (OR: 10.27; 95% CI: 1.31 to 80.35; P = .03). Conclusions: LG was more favorable than OG in the elderly patients <80 years old with gastric cancer.

Challenges in the treatment of gastric cancer in the older patient

Gastric cancer is considered an age-related disease, with the majority of new cases in the UK diagnosed in individuals over the age of 75. At present most guidance related to the management of gastric cancer is based on trials undertaken in the fit, younger patient. Historically the elderly have been underrepresented in clinical trials, which frequently have a restricted inclusion to an upper age limit of 75. The European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) recommends use of a geriatric assessment to determine functional age when initiating treatment in elderly patients with gastric cancer, which has been shown to be a better predictor of treatment response than chronological age. The physiological changes that occur with age, including reduced organ function and pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic variability, together with impaired functional status, necessitate a more individualised approach to treatment decisions in the older patient to provide them with the same advantages from radical treatment and palliative chemotherapy as younger patients. This review summarises the current evidence extrapolated from trial data on how best to optimise treatment for elderly patients with gastric cancer.

The safety and efficacy of gastrectomy for gastric cancer among octogenarians: a western population-based study

OBJECTIVE

The safety of minimally-invasive (MIG) and open gastrectomy (OG) in the older patients has been demonstrated in several international studies but has not been evaluated in the context of a large, Western population. The objective of this study was to evaluate the safety of gastrectomy by these two approaches among octogenarians in the United States.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The National Cancer Database (2010-2014) was queried for patients with gastric adenocarcinoma who underwent MIG or OG. Disease and treatment characteristics and outcomes were compared across age groups (<65, 65-79, ≥80 years). Multivariable regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with 90-day mortality.

RESULTS

13,845 patients were identified who met study inclusion criteria, of which 2140 patients (16%) were aged ≥80 years. Among octogenarians, MIG was associated with slightly decreased length of stay (11.2 vs 12.7 days, p < .001) compared to OG, with no difference in the rate of margin-positive resections, adequate lymph node sampling, or readmission (p = .30-0.77). 90-day mortality for both OG (17%) and MIG (17.2%) was significantly higher among octogenarians compared to younger patients (p < .001). Treatment at an academic facility was an independent predictor of decreased 90-day mortality among octogenarians (OR 0.534, 95%CI 0.322-0.886, p = .015).

CONCLUSION

In this Western population, we report comparable oncologic and post-operative outcomes between MIG and OG. However, the overall post-operative mortality rate among octogenarians remains unacceptably high. Better patient selection criteria for surgery and efforts to refer these patients to higher volume, academic facilities should be considered to improve patient outcomes.

Role of Laparoscopic Gastrectomy in Very Elderly Patients with Gastric Cancer Who Have Outlived the Average Lifespan

Purpose

This study aimed to investigate the outcomes of laparoscopic gastrectomy in very elderly patients with gastric cancer, who have outlived the average lifespan of the Korean population (men: ≥77 years, women: ≥84 years).

Materials and Methods

Between 2004 and 2015, 836 patients with gastric cancer underwent a laparoscopic gastrectomy. They were divided into the elderly group (EldG) and non-elderly group (nEldG). Propensity score matching for covariates of sex, tumor depth, node status, and extent of resection was performed. Clinicopathologic characteristics, and surgical and survival outcomes were compared between the 2 groups.

Results

The EldG had a higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score and a higher number of comorbidities. There was no significant difference in the post-operative complications, except for pulmonary complications, which were more frequent in the EldG (5/56, 8.9%) than in the nEldG (0/56, 0%). The EldG had a shorter overall survival (OS), but cancer-specific survival was similar for both groups. Among deceased patients, 2 (25%) and 8 patients (50%) died within a year of surgery in the nEldG and EldG, respectively. Univariate and multivariate risk factor analyses for OS showed that age, ASA score, tumor, node, metastasis (TNM) stage, and occurrence of complications were significantly related to deterioration in OS.

Conclusions

Laparoscopic gastrectomy can be safely performed in very elderly patients with gastric cancer who have outlived the average lifespan of the Korean population. However, impact of laparoscopic gastrectomy on improving survival is not clear, and careful patient selection is recommended.