Survival benefits of gastrectomy compared to conservative observation for older patients with resectable gastric cancer: a propensity score matched analysis

Purpose Radical gastrectomy is considered the first choice of curative treatment for older patients with gastric cancer (GC). However, there is limited data on the survival benefits of gastrectomy for older patients with GC. Methods This was a retrospective observational study where medical records of patients aged ≥ 75 years with clinically resectable primary GC, comprising 115 patients who underwent radical surgery (S group) and 33 patients who received conservative therapy (non-S group) (total cohort) and 44 propensity-matched patients (matched cohort), were reviewed. Survival and independent risk factors, including comorbidities and systemic nutritional and inflammatory statuses, were evaluated. Results In the total cohort, the 5-year overall survival (OS) in the S group was significantly higher than that in the non-S group (53.7% vs 19.7%, P < 0.0001). In the matched cohort, the 3-year OS in the S group was significantly higher than that in the non-S group (59.4% vs 15.9%, P < 0.01). Multivariate analysis of the total cohort showed that no surgery was an independent prognostic factor for poor OS (hazard ratio (HR) 3.70, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.91–7.20, P = 0.0001). In the S group in the total cohort, the multivariate analysis showed that renal disease (HR 2.51, 95% CI 1.23–5.12, P < 0.05) was an independent prognostic factor for poor OS. Conclusions Gastrectomy for older patients improved the prognosis; however, careful patient selection is essential, especially among those with renal disease.