Postoperative relative decrease in skeletal muscle mass as a predictor of quality of life in patients with gastric cancer.

Low skeletal muscle mass reflects poor nutritional condition, which may impair the functional status and quality of life (QOL) of survivors of gastrectomy. The present cross-sectional study examined the association between a relative change in skeletal muscle mass and perceived postoperative health and QOL in patients with gastric cancer. The study comprised 74 patients (48 men and 26 women; median age, 68.5 years) who underwent surgery for stage I-III gastric cancer. Outcomes were measured using the Postgastrectomy Syndrome Assessment Scale-45, which was specifically developed to measure post-gastrectomy symptoms, living status, dissatisfaction with daily life and generic QOL. The skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) was estimated using computed tomography by tracing the area of the psoas major muscle to calculate the ΔSMI, defined as: (SMI before surgery-SMI at completion of the PGSAS-45 survey)/SMI before surgery x100. Associations between ΔSMI and health outcomes were assessed using univariate and multivariate analyses. The mean ΔSMI (SD) was 8.64% (10.6%). The effect size (Cohen's d) of ΔSMI <10% compared with ΔSMI ≥10% was 0.50 (95% CI: 0.02 to 0.97) for total symptom scores, -0.51 (-0.98 to -0.03) for general health, and -0.52 (-0.99 to -0.05) for the physical component summary (PCS). Multiple regression analysis showed that ΔSMI was significantly associated with PCS decline, and its standardized regression coefficient was -0.447 (-0.209 to -0.685). Determining ΔSMI may help clinicians to facilitate the objective evaluation of low skeletal mass, which reflects poor nutritional condition that can impair functional status and QOL of postoperative patients surviving gastrectomy.

Evaluation of postoperative quality of life by PGSAS-45 following local gastrectomy based on the sentinel lymph node concept in early gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: The usefulness of sentinel node navigation surgery (SNNS) for early gastric cancer has been demonstrated in a multicenter prospective study. However, quality of life (QOL) after local resection remains unclear. This present study investigated QOL after local resection and distal gastrectomy. METHODS: We examined 69 patients who underwent laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (LADG) (n = 44) and laparoscopic local resection (LLR) (n = 25) in our hospital between September 2011 and May 2018. We conducted a combination of laparoscopic and endoscopic approaches to neoplasia with non-exposure technique (CLEAN-NET) with SNNS as LLR. All patients had pStage I or II and none had received adjuvant chemotherapy. We evaluated QOL using the postgastrectomy syndrome assessment scale questionnaire (PGSAS-45) 1, 6, and 12 months after surgery. RESULTS: In PGSAS-45, no significant differences were observed between LLR and LADG at 1 and 6 months after surgery. At 12 months, the LLR group scored better for some of the subscales (SS). In the endoscopic evaluation, the LLR group showed significant improvements in residual gastritis at 6 months (P = 0.006) and esophageal reflux and residual gastritis at 12 months (P = 0.021 and P = 0.017). A significant difference was observed in the prognostic nutritional index, which was assessed using serum samples, between the two groups at 6 months (P = 0.028). The body weight ratio was better in the LLR group than in the LADG group at 6 and 12 months (P = 0.041 and P = 0.007, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: CLEAN-NET with SNNS preserved a better QOL and nutrition status than LADG in patients with early gastric cancer.

Postoperative quality of life after laparoscopy-assisted pylorus-preserving gastrectomy compared With laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy: A cross-sectional postal questionnaire survey.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about postgastrectomy syndrome and quality of life (QOL after laparoscopy-assisted pylorus-preserving gastrectomy (LAPPG). The aim of this study was to assess postgastrectomy syndrome and QOL after LAPPG as compared with laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy with Billroth-I reconstruction (LADGBI). METHODS: Postgastrectomy Syndrome Assessment Scale-45 (PGSAS-45) questionnaires were sent by mail to 167 patients. To balance the characteristics of the groups, propensity score matching was performed. RESULTS: Of the 167 patients sent questionnaires, 112 (67%) responded, including 47 who underwent LAPPG and 65 who underwent LADGBI. After propensity score matching, the LAPPG group scored significantly better on the diarrhea and dumping subscales. Multiple regression analysis showed that female sex and LADGBI were independent factors predicting dumping. Evaluation of outcome measures for singular symptom showed that the LAPPG group scored significantly worse on the acid regurgitation subscale, but significantly better on the lower abdominal pain and early dumping abdominal subscales. CONCLUSION: LAPPG is superior to LADGBI for ameliorating postgastrectomy syndrome and maintaining QOL. LAPPG is recommended for patients with cT1N0 middle third gastric cancer.

Assessment of postoperative quality of life following pylorus-preserving gastrectomy and Billroth-I distal gastrectomy in gastric cancer patients: results of the nationwide postgastrectomy syndrome assessment study.

BACKGROUND: Pylorus-preserving gastrectomy (PPG) is increasingly being used to treat early gastric cancer in the middle third of the stomach, with the hope of ameliorating postoperative dysfunction and improving quality of life (QOL). We evaluated symptoms of postgastrectomy syndrome (PGS) and QOL by means of a newly developed integrated questionnaire, the Postgastrectomy Syndrome Assessment Scale-45 (PGSAS-45), and compared PPG with Billroth-I distal gastrectomy (DGBI). METHODS: The PGSAS-45 consists of 45 items, including items from the SF-8 and GSRS instruments, as well as 22 newly selected items. It was designed to assess the severity of PGS and the living status and QOL of gastrectomized patients. The nationwide PGSAS surveillance study enrolled 2,368 gastric cancer patients who underwent various types of gastrectomy. In this study we analyzed 313 PPG patients and 909 DGBI patients. RESULTS: Body weight loss was -6.9% in the PPG group and -7.9% in the DGBI group (P = 0.052). The PPG group scored better on the diarrhea subscale (PPG; 1.8 vs. DGBI; 2.1, P < 0.0001), dumping subscale (1.8 vs. 2.0, P = 0.003), and frequency of additional meals (1.8 vs. 1.9, P = 0.034). Multiple regression analysis revealed that age and the preservation of the celiac branch of the vagus nerve were independent factors predicting diarrhea and dumping. CONCLUSIONS: It has been suggested that PPG is superior to DGBI for ameliorating PGS. Preservation of the celiac branch of the vagus nerve is recommended to reduce postoperative disorders regardless of the reconstruction method used.