Gastrectomy for elderly gastric cancer patients: A propensity score-matching analysis

Although D2-gastrectomy is the most effective treatment for resectable gastric cancer (GC), it is unclear whether elderly patients have increased risk of morbidity and worse survival. This study aimed to compare the short- and long-term outcomes of older age (OA) patients with those of less advanced age (LAA).

GC patients undergoing curative gastrectomy were retrospectively analyzed and divided into two groups: OA (>75 years) and LAA (<75 years). Propensity score-matching (PSM) analysis using seven variables was conducted to reduce selection bias.

Among 586 patients, 494 (84.3%) were classified as LAA and 92 (15.7%) as OA. OA patients had worse clinical status, higher rates of D1-lymphadenectomy, subtotal gastrectomy, and Lauren type; higher mortality and worse survival. No difference in pathological tumor-node-metastasis (pTNM) stage was observed between groups. Preoperative chemotherapy was performed more frequently in the LAA group. After PSM (92 OA: 92 LAA), all variables included in PSM were matched, and mortality rates and survival became similar between groups. In multivariate analysis, American Society of Anaesthesiologists score III/IV was an independent factor associated with a 90-day mortality after PSM.

Gastrectomy in elderly GC patients has similar outcomes compared with younger ones. Clinical status and disease stage are more important than the patient's age.