Association of visceral fat with unresectable/recurrent gastric cancer patients following chemotherapy: a propensity score-matched analysis.

[PURPOSE] To clarify the association between visceral fat and the prognosis in patients with unresectable or recurrent gastric cancer following chemotherapy.

[METHODS] A total of 118 patients were retrospectively analyzed and categorized into high- and low-visceral fat index (VFI) groups, using a cutoff value of 46.5 cm/m. Propensity score matching was performed to adjust for background factors. The overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were compared between the groups. In addition, the objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), nutritional indicators, chemotherapy duration, transition rates, and adverse effects were analyzed. A multivariate analysis was used to identify the predictors of the OS and PFS.

[RESULTS] After matching, the high-VFI group demonstrated a significantly better OS and PFS than the low-VFI group. The ORR (40.6% vs. 15.6%, P = 0.026) and DCR (90.6% vs. 67.7%, P = 0.025) were significantly higher in the high-VFI group than the low-VFI group. The high-VFI group also showed a better nutritional status, longer S-1-based chemotherapy duration, higher transition rates to second-/third-line therapy, and fewer adverse events than the low-VFI group. A multivariate analysis identified VFI loss and target lesions (peritoneal and liver) as independent predictors of the OS, whereas VFI loss and target/non-target lesions were predictors of the PFS.

[CONCLUSION] A high VFI was associated with an improved survival in patients with unresectable or recurrent gastric cancer by enhancing chemotherapy tolerance, reducing adverse events, and increasing the ORR and DCR.