Correlation of serum albumin levels with early outcome and complications among gastric cancer surgery patients

Background: Serum albumin, a marker of nutritional status, has been associated with surgical outcomes. This study evaluated the correlation between serum albumin levels and early postoperative complications in gastric cancer surgery patients. Methods: A prospective cross-sectional observational study was conducted from July 2017 to March 2019 at the National Institute of Cancer Research and Hospital (NICRH), Dhaka. Forty patients with biopsy-proven operable gastric carcinoma were included using purposive sampling. Serum albumin levels were measured preoperatively and postoperatively, and complications were assessed. Data were analysed using SPSS version 22, with statistical significance set at p<0.05. Results: The mean preoperative serum albumin level was 3.8±0.4 gm/dl, which significantly decreased to 3.3±0.2 gm/dl postoperatively (p<0.05). Postoperative hypoalbuminemia (<3.5 gm/dl) was observed in 52.5% of patients and was significantly associated with complications, including wound infections (38.1%), pneumonia (14.29%), urinary tract infections (28.57%), and duodenal sump leaks (9.52%). No complications were observed in patients with serum albumin levels ≥3.5 gm/dl (p<0.001). Conclusions: Serum albumin is a reliable predictor of postoperative complications in gastric cancer surgery. Maintaining adequate serum albumin levels through nutritional optimization can significantly reduce morbidity, especially in resource-constrained settings. These findings underscore the need for integrating serum albumin monitoring into routine perioperative care.