EVALUATION OF PALLIATIVE RESECTION IN GASTRIC CANCER PATIENTS

Abstract

Background: There is still controversy on the issue of palliative gastrectomy for patients with advanced carcinoma of stomach in terms of safety and its benefits. More and more patients need to be studied to settle down this controversy.
Methods: We analyzed data of advanced gastric cancer patients admitted at National Cancer Institute (NCI) and Zagazig university hospitals from June 2010 to June 2012 who underwent palliative gastric resection; regarding post-operative morbidity, mortality, number of hospital admission days, patient satisfaction and effect of all these factors on quality of life.
Results: Sixty patients were identified. Mean age was (53+11.5) years. Thirty-four patients were men (57%). 25% of patients have associated co-morbidity. Post-operative complications occurred in (23.3%) of patients, but most were minor. Mortality rate from operation was (6.7%). Mean number of hospital admission days were (8+3.3) days, none of our patients readmitted to hospital with mean survival 16+6.2 months. All patients tolerate semisolids pos-operatively and 11% only can't tolerate ordinary food.
Conclusion: Palliative resection has a reasonable morbidity and mortality rates, doesn't lead to elongation of hospital admission period, eliminates the tumour related complications minimizing the need of hospital readmission and thus improves the hospital free survival and quality of life. However, patients should be properly selected and those with preoperative medical diseases should be thoroughly prepared and managed.
Key words: Palliative gastrectomy; Metastatic; Palliation; Surgery