A Comprehensive Study on Other Disease Mortality Risk Factors in Elderly Gastric Cancer Patients Post-Curative Surgery

Background: With the rising incidence of gastric cancer in the elderly, there is an increasing need to understand the challenges and risks associated with surgical interventions tailored for this age group. This study aimed to identify risk factors associated with non-cancer-related mortality in elderly gastric cancer patients post-curative surgery. Methods: . A retrospective analysis was conducted on 684 patients diagnosed with pathological Stage I - III gastric cancer who underwent curative resection at our institute between January 2012 and December 2021. The study focused on patients aged 70 years and above. Various clinical and pathological variables were assessed, and both univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify potential risk factors tied to non-cancer-related mortality. Results: . Of the 603 patients who underwent curative resection, 301 were aged 70 years or older. After exclusions, 244 patients were analyzed, with 33 succumbing to non-cancer-related causes. Pneumonia was the leading cause of non-cancer-related death. Univariate analysis identified age ≥80 years, BMI <18.5, high Charlson Comorbidity Index, and the presence of overall surgical complications as potential risk factors. In the multivariate analysis, age, BMI, and overall complications retained statistical significance. Conclusion: Elderly gastric cancer patients post-curative surgery face a pronounced risk of non-cancer-related mortality. Factors such as advanced age, low BMI, and postoperative complications significantly influence outcomes. These findings highlight the need for preoperative nutritional interventions to enhance outcomes in this population.