Influence of overweight on surgical complications for gastric cancer: results from a randomized control trial comparing D2 and extended para-aortic D3 lymphadenectomy (JCOG9501).
BACKGROUND
The impact of overweight on the outcome of gastrectomy with lymphadenectomy is controversial, and data from a well-controlled, randomized study are needed to identify a possible relationship.


METHODS
We used data from 523 patients registered for a prospective randomized trial comparing D2 and extended para-aortic D3 lymphadenectomy to compare the effects of body mass index (BMI) and the extent of lymphadenectomy for the development of general or major surgical complications (anastomotic leakage, abdominal abscess, and pancreatic fistula).


RESULTS
Seventy-seven patients were classified as overweight with BMI >or= 25, and 38 and 39 of these patients underwent a D2 or D3 lymphadenectomy, respectively. Among the 446 patients classified as nonoverweight with BMI < 25, 225 received D2 and 221 received D3 lymphadenectomy. Surgical complications, operation time, and blood loss were statistically significantly associated with BMI, and logistic regression analysis revealed that overweight directly affected the occurrence of surgical complications even after considering operation time and blood loss as intermediate factors instead of outcome variables. Among patients undergoing D2 lymphadenectomy, being overweight increased the risk for surgical complications and blood loss, whereas overweight was associated with only blood loss and operation time among patients receiving D3 lymphadenectomy.


CONCLUSIONS
Overweight increased the risk of surgical complications in patients undergoing gastrectomy both directly and indirectly through operation time and blood loss. The impact of overweight on surgical complications was more evident in patients undergoing a D2 dissection.
Tsujinaka
Toshimasa
T
Department of Surgery, Osaka National Hospital, 2-1-14 Hoenzaka, Chuo-ku, Osaka, 540-0006, Japan. toshi@onh.go.jp
Sasako
Mitsuru
M
Yamamoto
Seiichiro
S
Sano
Takeshi
T
Kurokawa
Yukinori
Y
Nashimoto
Atsushi
A
Kurita
Akira
A
Katai
Hitoshi
H
Shimizu
Toshio
T
Furukawa
Hiroshi
H
Inoue
Satoru
S
Hiratsuka
Masahiro
M
Kinoshita
Taira
T
Arai
Kuniyoshi
K
Yamamura
Yoshitaka
Y
D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D005743:Gastrectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D050177:Overweight; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*