PD1068 - PREOPERATIVE SARCOPENIA IS ASSOCIATED WITH LONGER HOSPITAL STAY AFTER GASTRIC CANCER SURGERY

PD1068

PREOPERATIVE SARCOPENIA IS ASSOCIATED WITH LONGER HOSPITAL STAY AFTER GASTRIC CANCER SURGERY

U. Jelenko¹, A. Križnar¹, T. Urdih¹, Ž. Zver^1,*, M. Maierr¹

¹Department of Clinical Nutrition, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Rationale: Sarcopenia, characterised by reduced skeletal muscle mass and strength, is increasingly recognised as an important prognostic factor in surgical oncology. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of sarcopenia in patients with gastric cancer and evaluate its association with postoperative outcomes.

Methods: This study included 32 patients with gastric cancer who underwent surgical treatment between 2024 and 2025. Muscle strength was assessed by handgrip strength. Body composition was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), and appendicular lean mass index (ALMI) was calculated. Sarcopenia was defined according to EWGSOP criteria as low handgrip strength (<16 kg in women, <27 kg in men) and low ALMI (<5.5 kg/m² in women, <7.0 kg/m² in men). Postoperative complications were classified using the Clavien–Dindo classification.

Results: Sarcopenia was present in 19% of patients (6/32). Median hospital stay was longer in patients with sarcopenia than in those without (23.0 vs 15.2 days, p = 0.18). A trend toward longer hospitalisation with lower ALMI values was observed (r = −0.20). Low ALMI without reduced handgrip strength was observed in a substantial proportion of patients. Postoperative complications occurred in 78% of patients and were not associated with low ALMI (83% vs 77%, p = 1.00).

Conclusion: Sarcopenia was present in nearly one fifth of patients undergoing gastric cancer surgery and was associated with longer hospital stay. These findings support the clinical relevance of preoperative assessment of muscle mass and strength. Larger studies are needed to further evaluate the association with postoperative complications.

References: Chang, H. L., Chien, C. Y., & Chen, T. P. (2026). Prognostic role of hand grip strength (HGS) on outcomes after gastrectomy for gastric cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis. International journal of clinical oncology, 31(1), 107–117. 

Disclosure of Interest: None declared