BMI and lymph node ratio may predict clinical outcomes of gastric cancer.
OBJECTIVE
BMI and the lymph node (LN) ratio can affect short- and long-term outcomes of patients with gastric cancer.


METHODS
This study includes 104 consecutive patients with gastric adenocarcinoma who underwent curative gastrectomy divided in two groups: overweight group (group A) and normal weight group (group B).


RESULTS
We found that 53.4% of our patients were overweight (group A). The overall rate of postoperative complications was 16.3%, while mortality was 1%. Statistical analyses revealed that postoperative morbidity was significantly higher in group A (p < 0.05). Long-term survival was significantly higher in group B. Cox regression showed a statistically significant correlation between higher BMI and poor long-term survival after curative gastrectomy. Multivariate analysis has identified age and the LN ratios as independent prognostic factors of survival.


CONCLUSIONS
In this retrospective analysis, BMI and LN ratio were independently associated with survival in patients with gastric cancer. Further studies are needed to confirm our findings.
Department of Surgery, University Hospital of Ioannina, St. Niarchou Av, Ioannina 451 10, Greece.
Georgios D
GD
Lianos
Christina D
CD
Bali
Georgios K
GK
Glantzounis
Christos
C
Katsios
Dimitrios H
DH
Roukos
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery