ARE THERE DIFFERENCES IN LAPAROSCOPIC GASTRECTOMY MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY BETWEEN YOUNG AND OLDER?

BACKGROUND

Due to the longer life expectancy and consequently an increase in the elderly population, a higher incidence of gastric cancer is expected in this population in the coming decades.

AIM

To compare the results of laparoscopic GC surgical treatment between individuals aged<65 years (group I) and ≥ 65 years (group II), according to clinical, surgical, and histopathological characteristics.

METHODS

A observational retrospective study was performed by analyzing medical charts of patients with gastric cancer undergoing total or subtotal laparoscopic gastrectomy for curative purposes by a single oncologic surgery team.

RESULTS

Thirty-six patients were included in each group. Regarding the ASA classification, 31% of the patients in group I was ASA 1, compared to 3.1% in group II. The mean number of concomitant medications in group II was statistically superior to group I (5±4.21 x 1.42±3.08, p<0.001). Subtotal gastrectomy was the most performed procedure in both groups (69.4% and 63.9% in groups I and II, respectively) due to the high prevalence of distal tumors in both groups, 54.4% group I and 52.9% group II. According to Lauren's classification, group I presented a predominance of diffuse tumors (50%) and group II the intestinal type (61.8%). There was no difference between the two groups regarding the number of resected lymph nodes and lymph node metastases and the days of hospitalization and mortality.

CONCLUSION

Laparoscopic gastrectomy showed to be a safe procedure, without a statistical difference in morbidity, mortality, and hospitalization time between both groups.