Inflammatory Biomarkers as Prognostic Factors in Short-Term Postoperative Complications in Operable Gastric Cancer

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Surgical Gastroenterology
• Inflammation Biomarkers

Background:

• Gastric cancer surgery poses significant postoperative risks.
• Identifying reliable predictors of postoperative outcomes is crucial for patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the prognostic value of inflammatory blood markers and scores in gastric cancer patients undergoing curative-intent gastrectomy.
• To assess the association between these markers and short-term postoperative results.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of gastric cancer patients undergoing gastrectomy (2012-2024).
• Measurement of systemic inflammation markers: neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, neutrophil-to-platelet ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, prognostic nutritional index (PNI), modified Glasgow score (mGS), and Systemic Inflammatory Index (SII).

Main Results:

• Multiple inflammatory markers including white blood cell count, neutrophil count, lymphocyte count, platelet count, C-reactive protein (CRP), albumin, neutrophil-to-platelet ratio, PNI, mGS, and SII were strongly associated with postoperative outcomes (p < 0.05).
• Multivariate analysis identified CRP levels and mGS as significant independent predictors of postoperative outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Systemic inflammatory markers are significant predictors of postoperative complications in gastric cancer.
• A comprehensive approach integrating inflammatory markers, surgical strategy, nutritional support, and complication management is essential for predicting patient outcomes.