Feasibility and Effectiveness of Gastrectomy for Elderly Gastric Cancer Patients

Outcomes of Gastrectomy for Gastric Cancer in Patients Aged >80 Years: A Systematic Literature Review and Meta-Analysis

This meta-analysis examined the surgical management of older patients (>80 years) with gastric cancer, who were often excluded from randomized controlled trials. We analyzed 23 retrospective cohort studies involving 18,372 patients and found that older patients had a higher in-hospital mortality rate (relative risk [RR], 3.23; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.46-7.17; P<0.01) and more post-operative complications (RR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.19-1.56; P<0.01) than did younger patients. However, the surgical complications were similar between the two groups. Older patients were more likely to undergo less extensive lymph node dissection and longer hospital stays. Although older patients had statistically significant post-operative medical complications, they were not deprived of surgery for gastric cancer. The comorbidities and potential risks of post-operative complications should be carefully evaluated in older patients, highlighting the importance of careful patient selection. Overall, this meta-analysis provides recommendations for the surgical management of older patients with gastric cancer. Careful patient selection and evaluation of comorbidities should be performed to minimize the risk of post-operative complications in older patients, while recognizing that they should not be deprived of surgery for gastric cancer.

Increasing disparities in the proportions of active treatment and 5-year overall survival over time by age groups among older patients with gastric cancer in Korea

Purpose

As older patients with gastric cancer increase in Korea, no consensus indicative of anti-cancer treatment exists for the oldest old (age 85+). We investigated potential disparities in the proportion of surgery-including active treatment and the degree of survival improvement over time by age groups, and whether heterogeneity exists in the protective effect of time period on overall survival (OS) by age at diagnosis clusters.

Materials and methods

A nationwide cohort (N = 63,975) of older patients with gastric cancer (age at diagnosis 70+) in 2005-2012 were followed until the end of 2018. Patients were categorized into four time period groups by their year of diagnosis. Cancer treatment patterns and 5-year OS were analyzed accordingly, and a random coefficients Cox model with random intercepts and random slopes of time period by age at diagnosis clusters was employed.

Results

The mean age of patients was 76.4, and 60.4% were males. Most patients had 0-1 comorbidities (73.3%) and low-risk frailty scores (74.2%). Roughly two-thirds of patients received some form of anti-cancer treatment (62.4%), and while the number of comorbidities and the proportion of high-risk frailty scores trended toward an increase, the proportion of patients receiving anti-cancer treatment increased from 58% in 2005-2006 to 69.6% in 2011-2012. The proportion of surgery-including active treatment increased to over 70% in the 70-74 years old group, while stagnating at 10% in the 90+ years old group. Differences in the slope of 5-year OS improvement resulted in a widening survival gap between the old (age 70-84) and the oldest old. The protective effect of time period on OS hazard in the oldest old was not monotonically reduced with increasing "chronological" age but varied quite randomly, especially among female patients.

Conclusion

Our study showed no upper age limit in terms of benefiting from the advances in the detection and treatment of gastric cancer over time. Thus, "functional" age rather than "chronological" age should be the criterion for anti-cancer screening and treatment, and actual implementation of proven treatments in the oldest old patients to reduce their non-compliance with treatment in clinical practice is needed to improve gastric cancer survival for all.

The Safety and Clinical Validity of Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection for Early Gastric Cancer in Patients Aged More Than 85 Years

Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is a safe and minimally invasive method for the treatment of early gastric cancer (EGC). However, whether ESD for EGC is also safe and feasible in patients aged ≥85 years is unclear. The patients enrolled in this study were divided into three groups: age ≥85 years (44 patients, 49 lesions), age 65−84 years (624 patients, 687 lesions), and age ≤64 years (162 patients, 174 lesions). We evaluated the incidence of adverse events (AEs) and overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS). We analyzed the factors that had a significant impact on the prognosis of patients aged ≥85 years. No significant differences were found in the incidence of AEs among the three groups (p = 0.612). The OS was significantly lower in patients aged ≥85 years (p < 0.001). Conversely, DSS was not significantly worse in patients aged ≥85 years (p = 0.100). The poor Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index correlated with poor prognosis in patients aged ≥85 years (p < 0.001). ESD is a safe and valid treatment for EGC in patients aged ≥85 years. However, the indications should be carefully decided because it is difficult to estimate the survival contribution of ESD for EGC in patients aged ≥85 years, especially in those with poor nutritional status.

Survival benefits of gastrectomy compared to conservative observation for older patients with resectable gastric cancer: a propensity score matched analysis

PURPOSE

Radical gastrectomy is considered the first choice of curative treatment for older patients with gastric cancer (GC). However, there is limited data on the survival benefits of gastrectomy for older patients with GC.

METHODS

This was a retrospective observational study where medical records of patients aged ≥ 75 years with clinically resectable primary GC, comprising 115 patients who underwent radical surgery (S group) and 33 patients who received conservative therapy (non-S group) (total cohort) and 44 propensity-matched patients (matched cohort), were reviewed. Survival and independent risk factors, including comorbidities and systemic nutritional and inflammatory statuses, were evaluated.

RESULTS

In the total cohort, the 5-year overall survival (OS) in the S group was significantly higher than that in the non-S group (53.7% vs 19.7%, P < 0.0001). In the matched cohort, the 3-year OS in the S group was significantly higher than that in the non-S group (59.4% vs 15.9%, P < 0.01). Multivariate analysis of the total cohort showed that no surgery was an independent prognostic factor for poor OS (hazard ratio (HR) 3.70, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.91-7.20, P = 0.0001). In the S group in the total cohort, the multivariate analysis showed that renal disease (HR 2.51, 95% CI 1.23-5.12, P < 0.05) was an independent prognostic factor for poor OS.

CONCLUSIONS

Gastrectomy for older patients improved the prognosis; however, careful patient selection is essential, especially among those with renal disease.

Prognostic factors for elderly gastric cancer patients who underwent gastrectomy

Background

Patients with gastric cancer are aging in Japan. It is not clear which patients and which surgical procedures have survival benefits after gastrectomy. A multivariate analysis was performed.

Methods

The medical records of 166 patients aged ≥ 80 years who underwent gastrectomy without macroscopic residual tumors were retrospectively reviewed. Univariate and multivariate analyses using Cox proportional hazard models were performed to detect prognostic factors for overall survival.

Results

In univariate analyses, age (≥ 90 vs. ≥ 80, < 85), performance status (3 vs. 0), American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status (ASA-PS) (3, 4 vs. 1, 2), Onodera’s prognostic nutritional index (< 40 vs. ≥ 45), the physiological score of the Physiological and Operative Severity Score for the enUmeration of Mortality and morbidity (POSSUM) (≥ 40 vs. ≥ 20, ≤ 29), surgical approach (laparoscopic vs. open), extent of gastrectomy (total, proximal vs. distal), extent of lymphadenectomy (D1 vs. ≥ D2), pathological stage (II–IV vs. I), and residual tumor (R1 vs. R0) were significantly correlated with worse overall survival. Multivariate analysis revealed that ASA-PS [3, 4 vs. 1, 2, hazard ratio (HR) 2.30, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.24–4.24], extent of gastrectomy (total vs. distal, HR 2.17, 95% CI 1.10–4.31) (proximal vs. distal, HR 4.05, 95% CI 1.45–11.3), extent of lymphadenectomy (D0 vs. ≥ D2, HR 12.4, 95% CI 1.58–97.7), and pathological stage were independent risk factors for mortality.

Conclusions

ASA-PS was a useful predictor for postoperative mortality. Gastrectomy including cardia is best avoided.

Gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma in older adults: A comprehensive narrative review of management by the Young International Society of Geriatric Oncology

Gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma is a disease of older adults with very poor survival rates. Its incidence has risen dramatically across the world in recent decades. Current treatment approaches for older adults are based largely on extrapolated evidence from clinical trials conducted in younger and fitter participants than those more commonly encountered in clinical practice. Understanding how to apply available evidence to our patients in the clinic setting is essential given the high morbidity of both curative and palliative treatment. This review aims to use available data to inform the management of an older adult with gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma.

Is surgery the best treatment for elderly gastric cancer patients?

As the elderly population increases, the number of patients with gastric cancer has also been increasing. Elderly people have various preoperative problems such as malnutrition, high frequency of comorbidities, decreased performance status, and dementia. Furthermore, when surgery is performed, high postoperative complication rates and death from other diseases are also concerns. The goal of surgery in the elderly is that short-term outcomes are comparable to those in nonelderly, and long-term outcomes reach life expectancy. Perioperative problems in the elderly include: (1) Poor perioperative nutritional status; (2) Postoperative pneumonia; and (3) Psychological problems (dementia and postoperative delirium). Malnutrition in the elderly has been reported to be associated with increased postoperative complications and dementia, pointing out the importance of nutritional management. In addition, multidisciplinary team efforts, including perioperative respiratory rehabilitation, preoperative oral care, and early postoperative mobilization programs, are effective in preventing postoperative pneumonia. Furthermore, there are many reports on the usefulness of laparoscopic surgery for the elderly, and we considered that minimally invasive surgery would be the optimal treatment after assessing preoperative risk.

Risk Factors for Overall Complications and Remote Infection After Gastrectomy in Elderly Gastric Cancer Patients

BACKGROUND/AIM

A significant predictive factor for the occurrence of complications after gastrectomy in elderly gastric cancer patients is yet to be determined. We aimed to evaluate the clinical factors associated with overall complications including remote infection after gastrectomy in elderly gastric cancer patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed data of 101 patients aged over 80 years, who underwent curative gastrectomy. We analyzed the clinicopathological factors that were independently associated with the occurrence of overall complications or remote infection by a logistic regression model.

RESULTS

The overall complication rate was 24.8%. We identified pneumonia as a remote infection, and the occurrence rate of remote infections was 5.9%. On multivariate analysis, hemoglobin (<11 g/dl) and operation time (>240 min) were significantly correlated with the occurrence of overall complications. Regarding the occurrence of remote infection, performing total gastrectomy and a hemoglobin level <11 g/dl were identified as significant risk factors.

CONCLUSION

Preoperative anemia and intraoperative factors, including the surgical procedure, could affect the occurrence of postoperative complications in elderly patients.

Prognostic Biomarkers in Early-stage Gastric Adenocarcinoma Treated With Adjuvant Chemoradiotherapy

BACKGROUND/AIM

Early-stage gastric cancer has a high risk of recurrence, despite trimodality therapy with surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. To improve patient selection for adjuvant chemoradiotherapy, we evaluated the prognostic significance of immunohistochemical and genetic biomarkers in patients with resected gastric adenocarcinoma.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Tumors from 119 patients were subjected to immunohistochemistry for 12 protein biomarkers, as well as next-generation sequencing. Clinical and biomarker data were available for 91 patients.

RESULTS

EBV-positive tumors and tumors with mutations had higher intratumoral CD8 tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte density (p=0.009 and p=0.017, respectively). PIK3CA mutations were correlated with VEGFA overexpression (p=0.042), while KRAS mutations and HER2 expression were mutually exclusive (p=0.036). PTEN expression univariately confirmed longer overall survival (HR=0.27; p=0.046), while there was a trend between the presence of KRAS mutations and inferior disease-free and overall survival.

CONCLUSION

PTEN protein expression and KRAS mutations may predict disease outcome in early-stage gastric cancer. These results need to be further validated in larger cohorts.