Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Combined with Gastrectomy Yields Promising Results in Elderly Patients with Advanced Gastric Cancer

Strategic Insights -

A new study published in the World Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery has found that combining neoadjuvant chemotherapy with radical gastrectomy is a safe and effective treatment for elderly patients with advanced gastric cancer. The research, conducted by a team of doctors at Ganzhou People's Hospital in China, compared the treatment outcomes of elderly patients (65 years or older) with those of younger patients. The findings suggest that while elderly patients may be at a higher risk of pulmonary complications, such as pleural effusion and pulmonary infection, their postoperative recovery time and survival outcomes are similar to those of younger patients.

Key Takeaways:

  • Neoadjuvant chemotherapy combined with radical gastrectomy is a safe and effective treatment for elderly patients with advanced gastric cancer.
  • Elderly patients (65 years or older) have a higher risk of pulmonary complications, such as pleural effusion and pulmonary infection, compared to younger patients.
  • Despite the increased risk of complications, postoperative recovery time and survival outcomes for elderly patients are similar to those of younger patients.
  • The study concluded that neoadjuvant chemotherapy combined with radical gastrectomy is beneficial for elderly patients with advanced gastric cancer.
  • The research was conducted by a team of doctors at Ganzhou People's Hospital in China, including Yue-Liang Lai, Liu-Liu Wei, Kang-Hua Qiu, Xin He, and Tao Yang.
  • The study was published in the World Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery, a reputable medical journal.

Statistics:

  • 65 years or older is considered elderly for the purposes of this study.
  • The study found that elderly patients had a higher risk of pulmonary complications, such as pleural effusion and pulmonary infection, with a rate of 27.1% compared to 14.5% in younger patients.
  • Postoperative recovery time for elderly patients was similar to that of younger patients, with a median time of 20 days.
  • Survival outcomes for elderly patients were also similar to those of younger patients, with a median survival time of 14.2 months.

Sources:

  • NewsRx. Researchers at Ganzhou People's Hospital Report Findings in Pleural Effusion (Clinical efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy combined with radical gastrectomy in elderly patients with advanced gastric cancer). Respiratory Therapeutics Week. October 13, 2025; p 1824.
  • World Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery. Clinical efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy combined with radical gastrectomy in elderly patients with advanced gastric cancer. 2025;17(9):106995.