Preoperative sarcopenia significantly worsens gastric cancer surgery outcomes

An updated meta-analysis involving 11,981 gastric cancer patients revealed that preoperative sarcopenia is linked to substantial postoperative complications, including increased rates of mortality, readmission, and severe complications. Sarcopenic patients exhibited notably higher incidences of pulmonary issues, bowel obstructions, and pancreatic fistulas, leading to significantly poorer overall and disease-free survival rates. These results underscore the critical need for routine sarcopenia screenings to improve risk assessment and inform treatment strategies for gastric cancer patients.