Poor Liver Function Significantly Raises Surgery Risks in Gastrointestinal Cancer Patients

Child-Pugh scores reveal a sharp correlation between liver function and surgical outcomes in gastrointestinal cancer patients. Among 167,680 surgeries analyzed, those with a score of 9 faced significantly increased surgical mortality—31.8% after distal gastrectomy and 20.7% after right hemicolectomy. Even after adjusting for risk factors, these patients exhibited much higher mortality rates compared to those with a score of 5. The findings underscore the necessity for heightened caution in patients with diminished liver function.