Preoperative bone mineral density in gastric cancer patients.

Background/aims: It has been reported that there is a high rate of bone mineral density (BMD) loss after gastrectomy for gastric cancer. To clarify the course of postoperative BMD loss, it is necessary to precisely determine the preoperative BMD of gastric cancer patients.

Methodology: From October 2005 through September 2008, preoperative BMD was measured in 91 patients (59 males and 32 females, mean age of the patients was 67.3 years) who underwent gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Then, the percentage of the subject's BMD divided by the BMD of young adult mean (YAM) (% of YAM) was obtained for each subject and the incidence of osteoporosis as well as the relationship between % of YAM and the patient's clinico-pathological factors or biochemical parameters was examined.

Results: The incidence of osteoporosis was 15.4%. There is a correlation between BMD in preoperative gastric cancer patients and serum albumin levels, and BMD decreases further in the elderly and individuals with a BMI lower than 18.5.

Conclusions: From the viewpoint of osteoporosis prevention, this suggests the importance of nutritional management for elderly gastric cancer patients with associated nutritional disorder.