Significance of the Glasgow Prognostic Score in Predicting the Postoperative Outcome of Patients with Stage III Gastric Cancer

This study aimed at investigating the ability of a preoperative Glasgow prognostic score (GPS) to predict postoperative complications and survival outcomes in patients with stage III gastric cancer undergoing D2 gastrectomy. We retrospectively reviewed data from 272 such patients, treated between 2010 and 2016, at a Taiwanese medical center. The patients were categorized according to their GPS. In total, 36.8%, 48.5%, and 14.7% of the patients were assigned to groups with a GPS of 0, 1, and 2, respectively. Overall surgical complication rates in these groups were 30%, 45.5%, and 52.5% (p = 0.016); postoperative intensive care unit admission rates were 10%, 14.4%, and 22.5% (p = 0.15); postoperative 30-day re-admission rates were 6%, 15.2%, and 20% (p = 0.034); and the in-hospital mortality rates were 1.0%, 1.5%, and 10.0%, respectively (p = 0.006). The median survival times of the patients were 42.9 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 29.1–56.6), 22.6 months (95% CI, 19.3–25.8), and 16.6 months (95% CI, 7.8–25.4), respectively (p< 0.001). A significant correlation was observed between the preoperative GPS, short-term postoperative complications, and long-term survival outcomes in patients with gastric cancer undergoing D2 gastrectomy. These findings recommend the usage of the GPS as a predictive and prognostic factor in patients with gastric cancer considering surgical resection.