Samsung Medical Center, Patients who had gastric cancer, having higher risk of osteoporosis

After gastric cancer surgery, calcium absorption is decreased so that vitamin D and calcium supplement must be taken continuously to prevent the bone density reduction.The research team of professor Shin Dongwook ofDepartment of Family medicine, Samsung Medical Center, analyzed 94 patients who had gastric cancer and 470 patients of the control group without having gastric cancer in the national health and nutrition survey (2008-2011) and found the following. According to the research team, most of the patients who had gastric cancer (85%) were found to have weaker bones. Three out of ten (30.2%) had osteoporosis, and more than half of the patients (55.5%) were confirmed to have bone reduction. For patients who had gastric cancer, they increased the osteoporosis risk by 3.72 times and bone reduction risk by 2.8 times. Especially, the research team reported that such results were more profound for the femoral region that is directly related to the hip joint fracture. Professor Shin Dongwook, the principal investigator, said, “The results showed that the consumed calcium was not absorbed properly because of reduced gastric acid secreted by the reduced gastric area after the gastric cancer surgery. It is good to take calcium citrate and vitamin D supplement continuously.” This study was published in the latest issue of Cancer Research and Treatment, an international academic journal of the Korean Cancer.