Postoperative Sarcopenia Increases Both Gastric Cancer and Other-Cause Mortality in Older Adults Undergoing Radical Gastrectomy for Cancer

Background & Aims Preoperative sarcopenia in gastric cancer is associated with increased postoperative complications and reduced long-term survival. However, the association between postoperative sarcopenia and long-term outcomes remains unclear. Therefore, this study aims to clarify the association between sarcopenia after gastrectomy for gastric cancer and survival outcomes. Methods This retrospective study included 1,512 patients aged ≥65 who underwent curative gastric resection for clinical stage I–III primary gastric cancer during 2008–2018. Sarcopenia was assessed preoperatively by measuring arm muscle area and grip strength, which was repeated 1 month after surgery. We compared the clinical characteristics, surgical treatments, and long-term outcomes between the postoperative normal and sarcopenia groups. Results Sarcopenia was observed in 173 and 305 patients pre- and postoperatively, respectively. Factors increasing the risk of postoperative sarcopenia included age of ≥75, lower preoperative body mass index, diabetes, and clinical stage II/III gastric cancer. Patients with postoperative sarcopenia after surgery had a significantly lower overall survival rate (hazard ratio [HR] 2.596, p < 0.001). Furthermore, postoperative sarcopenia was linked to decreased overall survival in patients with (HR 2.813, p = 0.002) and without (HR 1.925, p < 0.001) preoperative sarcopenia. Cumulative incidence showed significantly higher rates of deaths due to gastric cancer (HR 1.928, p < 0.001) and other causes (HR 2.736, p < 0.001) in the postoperative sarcopenia group. Conclusions Postoperative sarcopenia in gastric cancer is linked to an increased risk of death due to cancer and other causes, underscoring the importance of perioperative sarcopenia management strategies.