Gastric cancer, often referred to as stomach cancer, is a severe and common form of cancer that may increase the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. Treatments generally involve surgical interventions to remove the affected tissues.
The surgeries used, including gastrectomy (removal of part or all of the stomach) and endoscopic resection (a minimally invasive procedure to remove the tumor with the help of an endoscope), impact cardiovascular risk factors in various ways.
Yet, the exact effects of these surgeries on the likelihood of cardiovascular events like heart attacks and strokes remain unclear.
To address this uncertainty, Assistant Professor Yeongkeun Kwon from Korea University College of Medicine’s Division of Foregut Surgery led a comprehensive nationwide study.
Published on March 28, 2024, in the International Journal of Surgery, this research sought to understand the long-term cardiovascular risks faced by gastric cancer patients following surgery.
The study analyzed data from 2004 to 2013, comparing the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE)—such as heart attacks and strokes—between gastric cancer patients who had undergone surgery and the general population.
Results showed that within seven years of follow-up, 2.9% of patients who had a gastrectomy experienced MACE, compared to 5.4% of those who had undergone endoscopic resection.
Professor Kwon highlighted the significance of these findings by pointing out the potential health benefits of gastric cancer surgeries in reducing cardiovascular risks.
This is particularly crucial as surgeries like gastrectomy, which involve removing a part or all of the stomach, are often thought to pose additional health risks.
Further statistical analysis from the study revealed that patients who had a gastrectomy had a significantly lower risk of experiencing MACE compared to the general population.
However, this was not the case for patients who had endoscopic resection, where their risk did not significantly differ from that of the general populace.
These findings underscore the need for additional research to pinpoint the specific risk factors influencing the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases in gastric cancer patients post-surgery.
Professor Kwon also reflected on the broader implications of their research. He noted that Korea, with the world’s highest long-term survival rates for gastric cancer, possesses extensive data on survivors.
He emphasized that accumulating and analyzing health data from long-term survivors could enable healthcare providers and patients to make more informed decisions, potentially enhancing treatment outcomes significantly.
This study not only sheds light on the cardiovascular implications of different surgical treatments for gastric cancer but also opens the door to improving patient care through tailored surgical approaches that consider long-term health risks.
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The research findings can be found in the International Journal of Surgery.
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