SURGERY OF GASTRIC-CANCER IN PATIENTS OVER 80 YEARS OLD

A retrospective study on postoperative complications and factors affec ting prognosis was performed on elderly patients with gastric cancer. We studied the correlation of age, pathological depth, preoperative la boratory data, physical status, duration of surgery, volume of blood l oss, blood transfusion, curability, and extent of lymph node dissectio n to postoperative complications and prognosis in 47 patients with gas tric cancer over 80 years old. Preoperative function of lung and liver frequently showed abnormal data. Postoperative complications were not ed in 47% of patients, especially in the pulmonary system, liver and h eart. Curability and extent of lymph node dissection were the signific ant factor affecting survival. Some mortalities caused by initial mali gnancy were recognized in the conservative lymph node dissection in th e stage I. The incidence of postoperative complications was not signif icantly different according to extent of lymph node dissection. Blood transfusion was the only significant factor for the incidence of posto perative complication. The most frequent cause of death was the initia l malignancy. We recommend that a low grade lymph node dissection shou ld not be readily chosen for elderly patients in early cases.