Conditional relative survival after gastric cancer surgery shows promising results, suggesting better outcomes than previously thought.

• Five-year conditional relative survival (CRS) rose from 87.2% at one year to 95.4% at five years post-surgery.
• Stage III patients saw significant improvement, with CRS increasing from 53.2% at one year to 85.2% at five years.

Surgery remains a viable option for older patients, with those over 80 showing high survival rates similar to younger cohorts.

• Total gastrectomy patients may require additional nutritional support due to lower CRS compared to distal gastrectomy.