Gastric cancer survivors should be aware of osteoporosis

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Public release date: 16-Jan-2008

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-01/wjog-gcs011608.php

Contact: Jing Zhu

wjg@...

0086-

World Journal of Gastroenterology

Gastric cancer survivors should be aware of osteoporosis

Gastric cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world. Although

the prognosis of gastric cancer is known to be poor, the survival rate

for those who receive operative treatment is increasing recently by

virtue of early diagnosis and aggressive surgical intervention. However,

many surviving patients might suffer from osteoporosis and be at risk of

developing multiple fractures in their later life.

A research article published on December 28, 2007 in the World Journal

of Gastroenterology (volume 13, issue 48) addresses this problem. The

Korea Cancer Center Hospital research team, led by Dr. Jong-Inn Lee who

is the president of Korea Gastric Cancer Association, reported the

prevalence of osteoporosis in patients who survived after gastrectomy

was 38.3%, vertebral deformity rate was 46.6% and 45.9% of patients

complained of bone related pain.

One possible reason for the high prevalence of osteoporosis reported by

the investigators is that the average age of gastrectomy in gastric

cancer patients is about 60 years, and being older than 64 years was an

independent predicting factor of osteoporosis.

Another possible reason is gastrectomy might affect calcium and other

nutrient absorption, as most patients with osteoporosis had anemia and

decreased body mass index.

The authors recommend all patients who have anemia, back pain, or are

over 60 years be screened for osteoporosis by Dual-energy X-ray

absorptiometry (DXA), regardless of tumor stage and type of reconstruction.

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6.1 Reference: JS Lim, SB Kim, HY Bang, GJ Cheon, JI Lee, High

prevalence of osteoporosis in gastric adenocarcinoma patients after

gastrectomy. World J Gastroenterol 2007; 13(48): 6492-6497

http://www.wjgnet.com/1007-9327/13/6492.asp

6.2 Correspondence to: Jong-Inn Lee, MD, Department of Surgery, Korea

Cancer Center Hospital, Gongneung-dong 215, Nowon-gu, Seoul 139-706,

Korea. jilee@...

Telephone: +82-2-9701217 Fax: +82-2-9782005

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