Preoperative Albumin to Alkaline Phosphatase Ratio Correlates to Postoperative Complications After Radical Gastrectomy in Elderly Gastric Cancer Patients

BACKGROUND: The role of albumin-to-alkaline phosphatase ratio (AAPR) in predicting complications in elderly gastric cancer (GC) patients is unclear. METHODS: This retrospective study included 358 elderly GC patients (≥60 years of age) who underwent laparoscopic radical gastrectomy between 2020 and 2023. Based on AAPR values, patients were categorized into high (≥0.545) and low (<0.545) AAPR groups based on receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Clinical characteristics, surgical parameters, and postoperative outcomes were collected. The incidence and severity of complications were compared between groups. Independent risk factors for postoperative complications were identified using multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative AAPR is a key predictor of postoperative complications in elderly GC patients undergoing laparoscopic gastrectomy.