title: Assessment of surgical treatment and postoperative nutrition in gastric cancer patients older than 80 years.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A gastrectomy for gastric cancer is sometimes required in patients older than 80 years due to the continuously increasing age of society. However, if a gastrectomy worsens the postoperative quality of life and daily activity in elderly patients because of poor nutrition, the procedure may not always be a useful treatment strategy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinicopathological data of patients with gastric cancer who underwent a gastrectomy at our Department between 1998 and 2008 (N=471) were collected and analyzed. The results of treatment for patients older than 80 years (N=41) were analyzed and compared against those of patients younger than 80 years (N=430).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients older than 80 years had a higher frequency of preoperative co-morbidities than patients younger than 80 years. However, there was no statistical difference in postoperative complications regarding nutrition between the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Older age is not a determinant of poor nutrition following gastrectomy. Gastrectomy for gastric cancer is, therefore, a useful treatment strategy, regardless of ageing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomonori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakanoko
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kakeji
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ando
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuichiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakashima
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Kippei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohgaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Saeki
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Eiji
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Oki
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Masaru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morita
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, Japan maehara@surg2.med.kyushu-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Yoshihiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Maehara
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005743:Gastrectomy; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011788:Quality of Life; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Gastrectomy; elderly patients; nutrition