Effects of Early Oral Feeding on Surgical Outcomes and Recovery After Curative Surgery for Gastric Cancer: Pilot Study Results

The aim of the present study was to determine whether early oral feeding after curative resection for gastric cancer can be tolerated and whether it has an effect on recovery. From September 2007 to January 2008, we provided early postoperative oral feeding for 35 patients who underwent curative distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer. These patients began a liquid diet on the second postoperative day (POD), followed by a soft diet beginning on the third POD until they were discharged. From April to August 2007, we enrolled 31 patients with a conventional diet schedule as a control group. We compared the clinicopathologic features and surgical outcomes, including morbidity, laboratory results, and hospitalized days between the two groups. There were no significant differences in the clinical and operative factors between the two groups. Although there was no difference in the morbidity rate (P = 0.331), the early group was hospitalized for fewer days (8.03 +/- A 1.43 vs. 9.97 +/- A 2.07 days; P < 0.001) and had a faster onset of flatus (1.96 +/- A 0.58 vs. 2.97 +/- A 0.66 day; P < 0.001) than the control group. The laboratory findings showed that the early feeding group tended to have a lymphocyte count that recovered faster than the control group, although the difference was not statistically significant. Early oral feeding following a gastrectomy for gastric cancer is feasible and can result in faster recovery of bowel function and a shorter hospitalization.