Patients undergoing gastrectomy for gastric cancer frequently experience insufficient oral intake during the postoperative recovery period because of reduced gastric capacity, early satiety, and gastrointestinal symptoms. Although oral nutritional supplements (ONS) are commonly recommended, adherence is often poor, resulting in a postoperative nutritional gap.
This prospective randomized clinical trial was designed to evaluate the impact of combined oral and parenteral nutritional therapy on nutritional status and recovery after gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Patients were randomized to either a combined nutritional therapy group receiving oral nutritional supplementation plus parenteral nutrition or a control group receiving standard postoperative care.
The primary endpoint was postoperative body weight change at 4 weeks after surgery. Secondary endpoints included body composition, nutritional intake, inflammatory and immune markers, laboratory parameters, and quality of life outcomes.