Prognostic value of cachexia defined by the Asian Working Group for Cachexia criteria in patients with gastric cancer

Background:The Asian Working Group for Cachexia(AWGC)criteria are newly proposed diagnostic standards specifically designed for Asian populations.This research focused on validating the predictive value of the AWGC criteria for assessing the prognosis and medical burden of patients with gastric cancer.Methods:Cox proportional hazards analysis was conducted to evaluate the association between cachexia and overall survival.Logistic regression analysis was used to assess whether there was an independent association between cachexia and the 90-day mortality,the length of stay and the quality of life.Harrell’s concordance index was utilized to demonstrate the discriminative ability of different diagnostic criteria for cachexia.Results:AWGC-defined cachexia was an independent risk factor for a reduced overall survival in patients(HR=1.397,95%CI=1.209–1.615,P<0.001).The predictive accuracy of the AWGC criteria was markedly superior to that of the Fearon criteria(χ2=39.025 vs 13.877).Compared with Fearon standards,the AWGC criteria offered a 2.9%enhancement in clinical benefit(0.029,95%CI=0.048–0.008,P=0.005).Logistic regression analysis showed that only AWGC-defined cachexia was an independent risk factor for 90-day mortality(OR=2.142,95%CI=1.397–3.282,P<0.001)and prolonged hospitalization(OR=1.958,95%CI=1.587–2.416,P<0.001)in patients with gastric cancer,whereas cachexia defined by the Fearon criteria was not.Patients with AWGC-defined cachexia exhibited significant reductions in physical function,role function,emotional function,cognitive function,social functioning,and overall quality-of-life scores.Conversely,cachectic patients showed higher levels of fatigue,nausea and vomiting,pain,dyspnea,sleep disturbance,appetite loss,constipation,and financial difficulties.A multivariate logistic regression showed that patients with AWGC-defined cachexia had a 126.1%increased risk of impaired quality of life(OR=2.261,95%CI=1.859–2.749,P<0.001).Conclusions:The AWGC criteria are an effective tool for predicting adverse survival outcomes,90-day mortality,a prolonged hospital stay,and poorer quality of life in patients with gastric cancer.

Investigation on quality of life of hospitalized patients in China with digestive system malignancy

Background:The purpose of this study is to evaluate the quality of life(QoL)of hospitalized patients in China suffering from digestive system malignancies and to identify potential risk factors for a decrease in QoL.Methods:The European Organization for Research and Treatment Core Quality of Life questionnaire(EORTC QLQ-C30)was applied to evaluate the QoL of 23,519 patients with six digestive malignancies(esophageal cancer,gastric cancer,colorectal cancer,liver cancer,biliary tract cancer,and pancreatic cancer).A t test or analysis of variance was employed to analyze the total EORTC QLQ-C30 scale scores and domain scores of the EORTC QLQ-C30 scale among patients in different subgroups.Results:The average QoL score was 50.4±10.8.The tumor type,age,sex,and TNM stage all had an impact on QoL ratings.Colorectal cancer patients had a better total QoL score(49.3±10.3)and scores in the domains of functioning,withmilder symptoms,except for diarrhea.Patients with biliary tract cancer(54.2±12.3)and pancreatic cancer(54.2±12.3)reported a poorer QoL,significant functional impairment,and more pronounced symptoms.Patients with esophageal cancer experienced the most severe financial difficulties(35.2±27.5).Patients aged≥65 years,women,and those with TNM stage III/IV reported lower QoL.In addition,the disparities in total QoL scores and scores in specific domains were significant among patients with some types of tumors,and based on ethnicity,educational level,occupation,treatment(s)received,and place of residence.Conclusions:There is a need to focus on elderly individuals,those with low educational levels,and patients with progressivemalignant tumors and to improve routine disease monitoring and symptom management to enhance the quality of life for patients with malignancies of the digestive system.