Effects of laparoscopic-assisted gastrectomy on elderly patients with gastric cancer

Although the acceptance of laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy (LAG) for the treatment of gastric cancer (GC) has been increasing, it is still controversial that LAG is an applicable treatment method for elderly patients since elderly patients are usually complicated with other diseases. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the prognostic differences between elderly patients and non-elderly patients after receiving LAG.

Patients (n = 306) who received LAG for the treatment of GC from April 2009 to December 2014 were included in the study. The patients were divided into the elderly group (≥ 65 years old, n = 120) and the non-elderly group (< 65 years old, n=186). The postoperative outcomes as well as the morbidity and the survival rates were compared between the two groups.

American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score and comprehensive complication index (CCI) score in the elderly group were significantly higher than those in the non-elderly group (p<0.05). In terms of surgical outcomes, there was no significant difference in blood loss or postoperative hospital stay between the elderly group and the non-elderly group. As for postoperative comorbidities, there were significant differences in intraperitoneal hemorrhage and pleural effusion between the elderly group and the non-elderly group. Moreover, the median follow-up time was 38.5 months, and the overall survival of elderly patients with comorbidities was significantly lower than that of the elderly patients without comorbidities (p<0.05).

LAG can be performed safely and successfully in the elderly population with acceptable postoperative and long-term results.