BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Little is known about sex-based differences in morbidity and prognosis after gastrectomy for gastric cancer. This study was designed to detect risk factors for severe postoperative complications and define prognosis according to sex after gastrectomy for gastric cancer. METHODS: Consecutive patients comprising 878 male and 421 female patients, who underwent R0 gastrectomy for Stage I - III gastric cancer, were retrospectively analyzed. We defined patients with severe postoperative complications as those with anastomotic leakage, a pancreatic fistula, and/or an intra-abdominal abscess of grade> II according to the Clavien-Dindo classification. RESULTS: There was a significant association between sex and severe postoperative complications after gastrectomy for gastric cancer. In the male patients, poor nutrition, open surgery, and disease progression were independent risk factors for severe postoperative complications. In female patients, disease progression was the only independent risk factor. Regarding prognosis, poor nutrition was the only independent poor prognostic factor in male patients. CONCLUSIONS: Risk factors for severe postoperative complications were different between the male and female patients. Particularly in male patients, careful nutritional support may be required to prevent severe complications and improve the prognosis.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Little is known about sex-based differences in morbidity and prognosis after gastrectomy for gastric cancer. This study was designed to detect risk factors for severe postoperative complications and define prognosis according to sex after gastrectomy for gastric cancer. METHODS: Consecutive patients comprising 878 male and 421 female patients, who underwent R0 gastrectomy for Stage I - III gastric cancer, were retrospectively analyzed. We defined patients with severe postoperative complications as those with anastomotic leakage, a pancreatic fistula, and/or an intra-abdominal abscess of grade> II according to the Clavien-Dindo classification. RESULTS: There was a significant association between sex and severe postoperative complications after gastrectomy for gastric cancer. In the male patients, poor nutrition, open surgery, and disease progression were independent risk factors for severe postoperative complications. In female patients, disease progression was the only independent risk factor. Regarding prognosis, poor nutrition was the only independent poor prognostic factor in male patients. CONCLUSIONS: Risk factors for severe postoperative complications were different between the male and female patients. Particularly in male patients, careful nutritional support may be required to prevent severe complications and improve the prognosis.