Purpose: In 2024, South Korea experienced a substantial shortage of medical practitioners, primarily residents and interns, owing to mass resignation from training hospitals. This study aimed to evaluate whether the quality of medical care declined because of this shortage by comparing postoperative complications before and during the period of mass resignation. Methods: This retrospective observational study assessed patient outcomes among patients with gastric cancer before and during a period of mass resignation at a single tertiary training hospital. Outcomes analyzed included operation duration, length of hospital stays, and complication rates. The effects of the medical crisis on complication rates were analyzed using logistic regression. Results: A total of 218 and 31 patients underwent surgery during the control and crisis periods, respectively. During the control period, approximately 73 surgeries were performed between February 20 and June 10 each year, which was reduced to 31 during the crisis period. The operation duration (minutes) was 164.5 before the medical crisis and 154.0 during it (P = 0.19). The incidence of postoperative complications before and during the medical crisis was 22.02% (48 of 218) and 9.68% (3 of 31), respectively (P = 0.15). No severe complications (Clavien-Dindo grade ≥IIIa) were observed during the crisis period. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that sex and body mass index were significant variables associated with postoperative complications, but the effects of medical crisis were not. Conclusion Despite the medical crisis in South Korea, patient outcomes for gastric cancer surgery were sustained in terms of the frequency of postoperative complications.

Purpose: In 2024, South Korea experienced a substantial shortage of medical practitioners, primarily residents and interns, owing to mass resignation from training hospitals. This study aimed to evaluate whether the quality of medical care declined because of this shortage by comparing postoperative complications before and during the period of mass resignation. Methods: This retrospective observational study assessed patient outcomes among patients with gastric cancer before and during a period of mass resignation at a single tertiary training hospital. Outcomes analyzed included operation duration, length of hospital stays, and complication rates. The effects of the medical crisis on complication rates were analyzed using logistic regression. Results: A total of 218 and 31 patients underwent surgery during the control and crisis periods, respectively. During the control period, approximately 73 surgeries were performed between February 20 and June 10 each year, which was reduced to 31 during the crisis period. The operation duration (minutes) was 164.5 before the medical crisis and 154.0 during it (P = 0.19). The incidence of postoperative complications before and during the medical crisis was 22.02% (48 of 218) and 9.68% (3 of 31), respectively (P = 0.15). No severe complications (Clavien-Dindo grade ≥IIIa) were observed during the crisis period. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that sex and body mass index were significant variables associated with postoperative complications, but the effects of medical crisis were not. Conclusion Despite the medical crisis in South Korea, patient outcomes for gastric cancer surgery were sustained in terms of the frequency of postoperative complications.

Purpose: In 2024, South Korea experienced a substantial shortage of medical practitioners, primarily residents and interns, owing to mass resignation from training hospitals. This study aimed to evaluate whether the quality of medical care declined because of this shortage by comparing postoperative complications before and during the period of mass resignation. Methods: This retrospective observational study assessed patient outcomes among patients with gastric cancer before and during a period of mass resignation at a single tertiary training hospital. Outcomes analyzed included operation duration, length of hospital stays, and complication rates. The effects of the medical crisis on complication rates were analyzed using logistic regression. Results: A total of 218 and 31 patients underwent surgery during the control and crisis periods, respectively. During the control period, approximately 73 surgeries were performed between February 20 and June 10 each year, which was reduced to 31 during the crisis period. The operation duration (minutes) was 164.5 before the medical crisis and 154.0 during it (P = 0.19). The incidence of postoperative complications before and during the medical crisis was 22.02% (48 of 218) and 9.68% (3 of 31), respectively (P = 0.15). No severe complications (Clavien-Dindo grade ≥IIIa) were observed during the crisis period. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that sex and body mass index were significant variables associated with postoperative complications, but the effects of medical crisis were not. Conclusion Despite the medical crisis in South Korea, patient outcomes for gastric cancer surgery were sustained in terms of the frequency of postoperative complications.

Purpose: This study aimed to define an optimal age cutoff for early-onset gastric cancer (EOGC) and compare its characteristics with those of late-onset gastric cancer (LOGC) using nationwide survey data. Methods: Using data from a nationwide survey, this comprehensive population-based study analyzed data spanning 3 years (2009, 2014, and 2019). The joinpoint analysis and interrupted time series (ITS) methodology were employed to identify age cutoffs for EOGC based on the sex ratio and tumor histology. Clinicopathologic characteristics and surgical outcomes were compared between the EOGC and LOGC groups. Results: The age cutoff for defining EOGC was suggested to be 50 years, supported by joinpoint and ITS analyses. Early gastric cancer was predominantly present in the EOGC and LOGC groups. Patients with EOGC comprised 20.3% of the total study cohort and demonstrated a more advanced disease stage compared to patients with LOGC. However, patients with EOGC underwent more minimally invasive surgeries, experienced shorter hospital stays, and had lower postoperative morbidity and mortality rates. Conclusion This study proposes an age of ≤50 years as a criterion for defining EOGC and highlights its features compared to LOGC. Further research using this criterion should guide tailored treatment strategies and improve outcomes for young patients with gastric cancer.

Purpose: This study aimed to define an optimal age cutoff for early-onset gastric cancer (EOGC) and compare its characteristics with those of late-onset gastric cancer (LOGC) using nationwide survey data. Methods: Using data from a nationwide survey, this comprehensive population-based study analyzed data spanning 3 years (2009, 2014, and 2019). The joinpoint analysis and interrupted time series (ITS) methodology were employed to identify age cutoffs for EOGC based on the sex ratio and tumor histology. Clinicopathologic characteristics and surgical outcomes were compared between the EOGC and LOGC groups. Results: The age cutoff for defining EOGC was suggested to be 50 years, supported by joinpoint and ITS analyses. Early gastric cancer was predominantly present in the EOGC and LOGC groups. Patients with EOGC comprised 20.3% of the total study cohort and demonstrated a more advanced disease stage compared to patients with LOGC. However, patients with EOGC underwent more minimally invasive surgeries, experienced shorter hospital stays, and had lower postoperative morbidity and mortality rates. Conclusion This study proposes an age of ≤50 years as a criterion for defining EOGC and highlights its features compared to LOGC. Further research using this criterion should guide tailored treatment strategies and improve outcomes for young patients with gastric cancer.

Purpose: This study aimed to define an optimal age cutoff for early-onset gastric cancer (EOGC) and compare its characteristics with those of late-onset gastric cancer (LOGC) using nationwide survey data. Methods: Using data from a nationwide survey, this comprehensive population-based study analyzed data spanning 3 years (2009, 2014, and 2019). The joinpoint analysis and interrupted time series (ITS) methodology were employed to identify age cutoffs for EOGC based on the sex ratio and tumor histology. Clinicopathologic characteristics and surgical outcomes were compared between the EOGC and LOGC groups. Results: The age cutoff for defining EOGC was suggested to be 50 years, supported by joinpoint and ITS analyses. Early gastric cancer was predominantly present in the EOGC and LOGC groups. Patients with EOGC comprised 20.3% of the total study cohort and demonstrated a more advanced disease stage compared to patients with LOGC. However, patients with EOGC underwent more minimally invasive surgeries, experienced shorter hospital stays, and had lower postoperative morbidity and mortality rates. Conclusion This study proposes an age of ≤50 years as a criterion for defining EOGC and highlights its features compared to LOGC. Further research using this criterion should guide tailored treatment strategies and improve outcomes for young patients with gastric cancer.

Purpose: Multidisciplinary treatment (MDT) in gastric cancer is an effective approach for establishing treatment plans.However, the appropriateness of using “ratio of MDT” as an item for evaluating the adequacy of gastric cancer treatment in Korea has not been previously researched. The purpose of this study is to verify whether the “ratio of MDT” is appropriate as an item for gastric cancer adequacy evaluation from the surgeon’s perspective. Methods: This study involved 142 patients who received MDT at our hospital between December 2015 and January 2023.Patients were divided into 2 groups based on the date when gastric cancer adequacy evaluation was implemented; there were 71 patients before and after the evaluation was conducted, respectively. Based on electronic medical records, the initial plan prepared before the MDT clinic and the final plan prepared after the clinic were compared to determine whether the plan was changed. Results: The average age of patients who received MDT before and after the evaluation was 64.8 and 62.2 years, respectively. Overall, 50 and 21 patients were male (70.4%) and female (29.6%), respectively, in both groups. Before the evaluation, 26 patients (36.6%) who received MDT changed their treatment plans after visiting the clinic, and 15 patients (21.1%) who received MDT after the evaluation had their treatment plans modified. Groups who received MDT and changes in treatment plans were significantly correlated (P = 0.042). Conclusion Our findings suggest that including the “ratio of MDT” as an item of gastric cancer adequacy evaluation needs reassessment.